Strangers
by Innocent Fox
Summary: Four men are chosen to enter a program to become the world's first super soldiers. Following them from World War II to the present day and beyond; Scorpion, Sub Zero, Reptile and Smoke become respected and feared by all who know of them. Their lives will never be the same again. Chapter 23 onward - The 80's.
1. Testing

**Strangers**

**Testing**

_June 1941_

"Sir, the test subjects have all had trials, I can show you to them if you like?"

"Take me there."

Shadows and flickering lights painted the white tiled corridor, glass panels exposed the people working away. Colonel Stryker eyed the double doors that led to the test chambers.

"The subjects through here?" Stryker cocked an eyebrow.

"Chambers One through Four, sir."

"Excellent."

The bespectacled scientist pressed a small button near the door, opening it whilst a bell rang. Two soldiers carrying rifles entered swiftly, getting into position behind Stryker and the scientist. The colonel watched the man of knowledge open the first chamber door, it creaked and he looked towards the military personnel.

"Okay gentleman, this is one of the four men we shall be deploying in secret to gather intelligence on the Germans. They all have been given code names; this is Scorpion."

Scorpion stood slowly, making no eye contact, focusing on the dark wall ahead of him. He slowly cracked his knuckles and took two steps towards the door. His gaze drifted to the two infantry men behind Stryker.

"Erm..." the colonel hushed, "Kabal, is it?"

"Yes sir."

"This is what the President sent me to see? A man in a mask...?"

"Sir, they're going to do wonders for the military!"

"We are not in the war in Europe, if, you currently did not know."

"I know that bu..."

"But what?"

"Like I said, they are to gather intelligence, not only that but this is a major breakthrough in advancing warfare not to mention they can be lucrative contractors. We could loan to the highest bidder, imagine the possibilities!"

"He looks like a normal fella to me."

"Sir, allow him to show you. Scorpion, head to the firing range outside."

Scorpion left and was aided by one of the two soldiers.

"This better be good, I'm not having my time wasted Kabal."

"Sir, trust me, I have done my best to make this worthwhile."

They walked to Chamber Two, Kabal held a lighter up to the handle before he unlocked it. Water dripped from the handle as the door was pulled open.

"This is Sub Zero."

"Explain why the room is covered in ice."

"Well you see..."

Sub Zero interrupted, "Sir, the room is covered in ice because I decided it that way."

"Excuse me?" Stryker said.

"I created the ice myself, from my body. Doctor Kabal, should I...?"

"Yes please Sub Zero."

Sub Zero left the room and the other guard accompanied him. Stryker and Kabal were left with two chambers to inspect.

"Chamber Three is to your right sir."

Plumes of grey smoke erupted out of the room.

"This is, the appropriately titled, Smoke."

"I am waiting."

"Yes sir, we shall hurry things along. Smoke, will you go outside and join the others?"

"I shall; thank you for taking time out of your day sir." Smoke looked at his feet and walked off.

_'We'll see if it was worth it son.'_ Smoke's words echoed through Stryker's head.

"Final chamber."

Four opened, there was no discernible difference other than the man behind it being stood, his mask and hood covering all but his eyes, they were a piercing green.

"Reptile, let me introduce you to Colonel Stryker."

Reptile sniffed, walking out of the room without saying a word.

"Shall we go to the courtyard?"

Stryker crossed his arms. "Might as well get this over with."

Sunlight shone throughout the western desert, the whole place was quiet, the whistle of the wind attempting to compensate for the silence. The four masked men took a position on the firing range, four men in orange jumpsuits stood ten feet away, Stryker watched as Kabal ordered the men to one by one, step forward.

"Scorpion," Kabal said over the loud speaker, "Use your skills to dispatch this criminal, he has killed many innocent women all for his own personal enjoyment."

Stryker's eyes widened as he looked at Kabal, "What the hell is this?"

Kabal pointed towards the courtyard where Scorpion stepped up, the codenamed mysteries all wore opposing jumpsuits, white with a stripe running down their left arms, they were different, yellow for Scorpion, blue for Sub Zero, green for Reptile and grey for Smoke. The criminals all cowered with fear, their imprisonment rattling with them, their fronts were soaked with urine and sweat. Scorpion dragged his right arm back slightly before launching a spear on the end of a chain towards the murderer, it broke through his ribcage, shocking him into frothing. Scorpion pulled the killer towards him, tripping him mere feet away. Stryker watched compelled.

"Is that all he...?"

"No." Kabal said.

Raising his arms past his waist, his grey eyes were suddenly engulfed by a pale yellow, covering his iris and the whites of his eyes, fire rose from the ground out of nowhere, the criminal burning and screaming loudly on the dirt. Scorpion calmly stepped back to his original position, the murderer now a burnt crisp on the ground.

"My God..." Stryker could barely speak. "Get the next one up." Kabal eagerly accepted.

"Sub Zero." The loud speaker sounded.

He stepped up, "Sub Zero, this man has stolen countless thousands from banks, he used to be a gangster and has had people assassinated and beaten for simple material gain."

The gangster was prodded forward by one of many rifles pointing at the criminals backs.

Sub Zero waved the man over and whispered something in his ear. Ice engulfed the man's handcuffs and they simply fell apart. The gangster looked shocked but he sprinted away as fast as he could, Stryker unable to believe what he was witnessing.

"Trust him sir." Kabal spoke softly.

Ice shot from Sub Zero's palms, the moving projectile faster than the gangster. Colliding, he was frozen solid, Sub Zero took his time to walk over before shattering the mob boss shaped sculpture with a powerful kick.

"Jesus, did you see that?" Stryker felt foolish asking the scientist that afterwards, of course Kabal had seen it.

"Smoke."

Smoke stepped forward as per the others, "This man is a con artist and a rapist, he is notorious in the states of California and Texas for his crimes."

The orange jumpsuit reluctantly emerged, crying when he saw the grey emerging from Smoke's fingertips. As he neared, Smoke didn't hesitate, disappearing from sight and appearing behind the rapist, Stryker watched in bemusement as Smoke teleported the criminal into the air, before teleporting himself back and forth into the man, punching him violently. As they both landed, Smoke kicked him in the stomach twice, the second hit sending the man backwards. Vomiting, the prisoner was dealt a last kick whilst he was down, his jaw had snapped almost completely off.

"Reptile."

The green striped man stepped forward. "Reptile, this man is a cannibal, he slaughtered a family so he could eat them. He owns a butchery and sold some of his victims meat at his shop, finish his life the way he finished theirs."

Stryker watched impatiently, quietly excited about how he was going to dispatch this killer. Reptile disappeared from sight and appeared behind the cannibal, he pulled his mask down and his sharp teeth dug into the man's neck. He screamed in terror as Reptile started conjugating acid, softening his bones as he gnawed into his jugular and surrounding tissue.

"So?" Kabal said as he watched the bodies being dragged off the courtyard.

"Send them in."


	2. Parachutes

**Parachutes**

A red alarm flashed silently in front of the four men, a month had passed since they had shown their commander their skills. Sub Zero took a breath, it's icy texture stood well in the summer air over Germany. Scorpion sharpened his spear, concentrating hard on it, he felt it was sharp enough before faux-testing it on an unflinching Smoke. Smoke put his mask on and the accompanying grey hood, his olive drab uniform lacked any markings of a US soldier. Scorpion had a pale yellow mask and similar hood, putting it on afterwards. Sub Zero created a small icicle and flicked it at Reptile.

"Reptile, put your mask on. No one wants to see your face." The other two laughed as Reptile shot Sub Zero a look and said, "I will do it, seeing as it will be your final request."

"What do you mean by that?"

"As soon as we land, you'll be first one to drop dead."

Scorpion chuckled quietly, Sub Zero placed his mask and hood on, picking up his M1 Garand rifle. They didn't think they needed weapons yet they were just a precaution. A static came from a speaker, Stryker's voice boomed into the back of the aircraft.

"Mortals, you should land somewhere quiet, pick any field surrounding the adjacent town and watch for Nazis. If you are caught you may be mistaken for a Brit so go along with it and try your best to escape, you have back up from each other at all times so you'll no doubt be able to get away. We're looking for a document, belonging to a captain in a small building. We narrowed down the area of potential places for it on your maps. The document itself has a red seal it can be identified by. Whatever you do, do not open it. Scorpion, you are in charge for this mission as you proved the most capable in a combat situation."

Sub Zero groaned and Reptile hissed. Scorpion gave an invisible smile under his mask.

Stryker continued, "Are we clear then? Good luck gentleman."

Smoke opened the hatch on the plane, wind blew fiercely on him but he counted from three and jumped without hesitation, Sub Zero followed fluidly. Reptile was next up but stalled, "Listen Scorpion, Stryker may have called you the leader but when you land you won't have a clu-" He was cut off as Scorpion pushed him.

"Shut up freak." Scorpion said as he jumped. Parachutes opened under him, Scorpion pulled his open and watched as Smoke touched down, a tiny wisp of himself billowing underneath. Sub Zero broke his fall with a slide of ice and Reptile simply glided down to the same slide. Scorpion cut his the ropes and squatted, landing with one hand in front of himself.

"Show off." Sub Zero muttered.

Scorpion grunted, opening his front shirt pocket, it concealed a small map of the area.

"Listen up, this is the plan..."

_Nevada_

Kabal worked steadily on his typewriter, Stryker wrote a report nearby, his thoughts were swimming with possibilities for the powerful team.

"Kabal...about The Mortals..."

"Yes sir, what about them?"

"Can you give me a detailed description on each? I did only see them properly the once and I want to be able to know their strengths and weaknesses so I can guide them, if needs be."

"Of course. Where shall I begin?"

"Sub Zero."

"Certainly. Sub Zero is able to create and reshape ice to his will, it basically runs through his veins. He can reduce temperature to as low as minus one hundred and forty three degrees at last check and can freeze objects and people instantly, he is strong willed and disciplined, a very talented member and possibly the most normal of the group, half American and half Japanese."

"Half Jap huh? We could use that."

"That's not really the point..."

"It doesn't matter, continue, erm, Smoke next."

"Smoke can alter his body at extreme speed, he can transform into a plume and emerge at the other end of the room, he can turn invisible due to this but his teleportation leaves something to be desired next to Scorpion. He was born in Czechoslovakia but his parents emigrated here before the Nazi occupation. Oddly enough I tried to give him the same powers as Scorpion but he changed into a completely different being entirely. He is agile, and can 'steam' people until their bones and tissue fall apart. He can do this remotely through touching but...y'know, it's not quite as effective or fast..."

"..and Reptile? He's quiet isn't he?"

"Reptile is a strange creation, an all American from the Mid West, quiet and retreating, joined the army because it got him away from his farm life."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, but his skills are impressive. He can camouflage himself for hours at a time, useful for reconnaissance and stealth. He has extremely sharp teeth and his body temperature is far below human average, cold blooded, hence the name. He also possesses acidic glands and can spit corrosive spit whenever he pleases. Reptile developed a different style of fighting to accommodate his new abilities."

"What about the fiery sonofabitch?" Stryker laughed, "Scorpion."

"Scorpion is definitely strong. He can teleport long distances, we measured a mile at last check but God only knows if he will be able to outgrow and secede that. He can channel fire at will and knows extensive hand to hand techniques due to his knowledge as a boxer and bare knuckle fighters in his teens and early twenties. He was arrested and joined the army not long after. His rage is astonishing, I think it's his determination along with that which make him tough."

_50 miles from Munich_

Reptile watched a German soldier take a drag on his cigarette, he watched the ash fall on to the cobbled footpath and waited. Yawning, the soldier walked on, Reptile followed him, his camouflage concealing his appearance. The German walked into a noisy pub, the sounds of synchronised clapping and laughing erupting through the walls and on to the street. Reptile remembered what Scorpion said, 'quietly distract them' but ignored his orders. He took his hood and mask off, leaving his rifle in an alley nearby. He held his mask and hood in his hand, walking into the bar. The music continued but the eyes watched as this possible threat walked in to their bar. Reptile asked for an ale in broken Deutsch as a superiors hand waved the music off. The officer asked Reptile what he was doing at the late hour as the bar was closed to all but Nazi soldiers. Reptile turned his head slowly, not understanding a word coming from the German's mouth before putting his hood and mask on, clearing his throat he put on his best cockney accent which rasped, "Hello mate!"

Guns were drawn as Reptile leapt up to a barrier on the roof, clips emptying from MP40's and Mauser pistols. As they reloaded, Reptile struck, fists swung in his direction, he blocked as many as he could, kicking and punching, spitting and biting all who came near enough.

Sub Zero froze the handle on the door, the document they were must be inside he thought, he had been to the other buildings on the map to no avail. Breaking it off, Sub Zero looked through slowly, sleeping officers with a bodyguard who was dozing gave him the perfect chance. He sneaked through, reaching a small room with a radio. Snapping the cables to the radio, Sub Zero searched through the various documents, the one he needed was supposed to be binded by a red seal. He looked through the drawers until coming to one which was locked. Freezing the panels, he crumpled his way through and pulled out a few official looking forms and the document itself. Leaving just as quietly, he could hear angry screams and cries for help.

Smoke strolled into the power station, heating metal locks until they cracked and fizzled into bits. He could barely see in the dark rooms but could hear a humming. As it got nearer and nearer he opened some double doors to the engine room, he sighed, channelling his powers he steamed through each generator, the machines began shutting down and now the town was in darkness.

Sub Zero walked out, seeing chairs and glasses smashing around the corner, he waited to see Reptile. Suddenly, an olive and green blur hurtled back as if pushed on to the cobbles, Sub Zero knew it was Reptile and rushed to help him. Unpredictably, Sub Zero was to be left on his own as Reptile turned invisible. As the blue masked man stumbled near the doorway, four angry Germans stared at him.

Reptile ran to the spot he left his rifle, picking it up as it now seemingly had a mind of its own. A drunken Nazi waddled down the street to see the floating rifle and fell over with a yelp at the sight of it. Scorpion, who had been waiting for the three to finish as he had watched from a rooftop jumped and stunned an amused Reptile.

His eyes turned to a pale yellow as he asked, "Where are the others?"

Sub Zero held his own for as long as he could. Freezing, and shattering, one of the men. Smoke ran down the street to help his fellow soldier after hearing the chaos. Fusing into a cloud of grey and dissipating one Germans arms and legs from the rest of him.

"Dämon!" Cried one soldier as his commanding officer watched Sub Zero's fist pummel his face. That same soldier elbowed Smoke in the temple before a large explosion ripped the power station. Their eyes and minds properly distracted, Sub Zero froze the enemies and Smoke steamed them, melting the soldiers instantly.

Scorpion appeared from fire before them. His eyes were still pale.

"Thank me later," he said.

As the power station lay in flames from Scorpion's intervention, the four men walked and walked out of the town. The three who had caused damage followed Scorpion, who was furious at the very thought of working with these men again.


	3. Brutality

**Brutality**

_October 1941_

Explosions boomed in the distance, a British air raid was shell-shocking German towns, four men who had not seen much of the outside of their dead, abandoned bedsit sat silently, listening to the rumbles of battle behind the walls. Their previous mission had not gone according to plan, Scorpion still harboured resentment towards Reptile for ruining a basic snatch and grab. Reptile, had unknowingly, caused more problems for the French and English forces in Belgium and surrounding nations. Newspapers had titles such as 'British troops hit civilian village' and the like, the fighting was fiercer but the men inside the ashen bedsit could do nothing to help. It had been two weeks since their last US contact, Stryker, had seemingly abandoned them already.

Scorpion looked out of the window, he could see Germans running with their rifles and machine guns. A small car drove past, shouts bypassed the bedsit like a mouse scurries past an unknowing cat.

"Get up," Scorpion nudged a snoozing Reptile, "Idle bastard."

Reptile hissed, "Why should I take orders from you?"

"Because the last time you didn't you nearly got us killed." Scorpion's voice grew louder to which Sub Zero hushed, "Leave him, he's not worth it. I'm sure Colonel Stryker will contact us shortly."

Scorpion scoffed, "They have left us here, we mean nothing to them now, a failed project and now we are left with these...abilities. My wife and child are at home, probably wondering where I am. In a ditch maybe? That's what they'll have told them. I wait because those are my orders, regardless of my death."

"Enough Scorpion. You don't know that, and we don't know that our country has abandoned us. I mean...we aren't even part of this war! This is a European war, it's not an American issue."

Smoke looked up, "I do not believe it will stay that way."

"Why do you say that?" Sub Zero asked.

"Czechoslovakia, where I was born, was invaded and taken by the Nazis two years ago, they broke the treaty and it led to this. They will invade all of Europe if they get the chance. And, who's to say, they won't conquer Britain, France and the Soviet Union?"

Reptile piped up, "The Union's too big, even I know that. They'll be all killed."

"The Russian's are weak." Scorpion said calmly, "They own nothing, they are not free. They have been sent to die. Stalin even had his petty alliance with Hitler."

"Until Germany invaded them..." Smoke mused.

Sparks of life crackled on their radio, a gift from an English captain they had met.

"Mortals? Are you there?"

Scorpion grabbed the receiver, "We're here Colonel."

"Thank God, there's been a lot of suspicion surrounding us, I'm sorry we had to make you sweat it out."

"It's fine," Scorpion lied, "What do you need us to do?"

"We heard from French intelligence that there is a German officer holed up in the church a half mile up town, bring him back to where you're staying and interrogate him. He might be able to tell you the quickest way out of here."

"Over and out sir," Scorpion put down the receiver, "Reptile, move, you're doing this."

Reptile wanted to say something but didn't want to anger the team any more. "Yes." He muttered.

Creeping into the town, Reptile camouflaged himself once more. It was a peculiar feeling for him, he got a heightened sense of adrenaline from being out if the open but being invisible. This is what he thought helped him win in battle, this rush he felt. Through the overcast he could see the blue in the sky, it was unknowing to the war beneath. Reaching the church, he could see two soldiers guarding either side of the doors. He sneaked to the right side of soldier covering the left door and uncloaked, hissing violently at the parallel trooper, frightened, the soldier fired wildly in Reptile's direction, missing the cold blooded one and hitting his fellow fighter multiple times as Reptile disappeared from sight. Appearing behind the scared man, Reptile grabbed the soldiers chin with his right hand and forehead with his left, snapping his neck and twisting his head a third the wrong way. A spray of blood hit his face, he felt tempted, his tongue roamed. He felt his taste for it ever growing.

Entering the church uncloaked he stormed towards the startled officer, he was short but skeletal, his round glasses clung to the tip of his nose as he shook. Picking up a Mauser he could feel Reptile's glare piercing his soul. He wanted to shoot but he couldn't, fear froze him as this man in leaf green clothing, a black hood and emerald mask strode towards him, his eyes bare, they wouldn't blink, they just watched. Clasping his hands around the pistol he warned Reptile away in English.

"Ssss-top! I will shoot!"

"No you won't," Reptile growled, punching the officer hard in the cheek, a hard stomp connecting with the German's nose shortly after. He was bleeding and broken but Reptile wasn't done just yet.

"Stand up."

Reptile watched almost pitifully as the middle aged man crawled to his feet.

"Good." Reptile said, before biting into his shoulder.

Sub Zero moulded icicles in his hands, they weren't very large but they could kill if thrown hard enough. He placed each new creation in a small collection near Smoke.

"Reptile's been an awfully long time Sub Zero, what do you suppose he's doing?" Smoke asked.

"I'm sure he'll be back," the cold one replied.

Scorpion was looking out of the window and said, "He's probably killed him."

A knock on the door was met by Scorpion drawing his spear, opening the door and backing up so the knocker could not see him. "It's me," came Reptile's voice.

"We were wondering where you had got to. Take him through."

The officer was forced to sit down as Sub Zero froze his hands behind the back of the chair.

"What are you doing? That's freezing! Mein Gott!"

"I hope so," Sub Zero laughed.

Scorpion knelt so his eyes could meet the German's. He felt the flames rise behind him as his eyes changed to the now familiar pale yellow.

Shocked, the officer wanted to escape with his life, "What are you...people!"

"We're mortal, don't you worry about that." Scorpion said menacingly. "Tell us what your leaders expect from this war."

"I don't know a thing! I was sent to this town simply to keep an eye on the civilians here."

"Wrong." Scorpion drew his arm that was home to his spear and dug it through the fleshy thigh of the officer, his screams disturbed Smoke who looked uncomfortable.

"Tell me."

"An Aryan..." he drew long breaths, "An Aryan agenda...triumph of the will..."

"What are you talking about?"

His breaths became shallower, "We are the master race...the ones who must conquer the lesser peoples...that is one...of the reasons..."

"What else?" Scorpion didn't stop staring at him.

"One race...one belief..."

"I said..." Scorpion grew angrier, "...what else?"

"A better world...one race...one belief..."

"You test my patience." Scorpion stood and booted him in the chest, the chair collapsed and he fell backwards, Sub Zero lifted it back up.

"What are you intentions with the United States?"

"Hitler was to offer you a chance...to join him..."

Scorpion cracked his knuckles, "You are boring me. We are not part of this war."

"Exactly...you are our back up plan..."

Sub Zero walked around to face the man, "The US would never join such a foul regime."

"Blue...faced...masked man...you look like you have some...yellow in you...you worthless dog..." he laughed, seemingly delirious from pain. Sub Zero cracked the man in the face, punching him senseless before Scorpion tried to ease him, Smoke watched on and Reptile climbed up the walls. Scorpion had Sub Zero's arms locked.

Flailing, Sub Zero cried out, "Let...me...go!"

Scorpion spoke in hushed tones, "Beating him until he looks like a crushed orange will not help us Sub Zero, he is nothing but then again, we are all nothing in this war and this world." He let go. Sub Zero pushed Scorpion and shouted, "You're no leader!" The creator walked out of the room, Scorpion nodded towards Smoke to follow him.

"Reptile." Scorpion started, "Why is there a large chunk missing from our guests shoulder?"

Smoke grabbed Sub Zero, saying, "Listen, don't let him get you down. That man is nothing..."

Sub Zero cut him off, "As are we all, apparently."

Smoke sighed, "Scorpion was just trying to stick to the mission."

"He could have let me get a few more punches in."

The grey one laughed, "Look, Brian..."

"Call me Bi-Han if anything. I don't want to give the German satisfaction of knowing I hide my own name twice over because of my heritage and because we don't exist according to our own government."

"Bi-Han...you know your brother and I good friends no? Well, I still consider you a friend regardless of the circumstances. I made him a promise to keep you safe no matter what the situation."

Sub Zero chuckled and shook his head playfully, "You know too much about me, I'll have to kill you."

They both had a laugh, Smoke took charge of the conversation, "We'll both see Kain soon enough."

"That's true, I hope. Let's go back upstairs."

A burnt smell exuded from the room, once inside, Sub Zero and Smoke saw the charred corpse of the German officer. Scorpion's flames dying down in his hands.

"They plan on doing much more than taking Europe."

Static played on the radio, an incoming transmission from Stryker was quickly answered by Reptile, "Yes, sir?"

"Reptile, have you got the information you required?"

He looked at Scorpion for confirmation to which a silent nod told him what he needed to know, "Yes, colonel."

"Excellent, we shall extract you from the area as soon as possible. I shall speak with you about what those plans are in due course."

"Thank you sir."

The radio went dead to which Sub Zero said, "Looks like we're going home!"

"Not with the information he gave us," Scorpion said prophetically as he pointed a finger at the toasted man.

With that, hidden smiles turned back into hidden frowns.

**_A.N. _Thank you for all the kind reviews and feedback so far, I am looking to create quite a tale and I have a lot of ideas for this story. **


	4. Lightning

**Lightning**

_December 1941_

The Mortals left their bedsit in the once sleepy German town in late October, they had travelled through the western side of Germany and emerged in France. Glorious countryside was populated by friendly hand outs in villages and towns. They had travelled miles, on foot, by train and by stolen car, the deaths of twelve Nazi soldiers occurred as they neared Paris.

Smoke was grabbed at a checkpoint, the four only wore the masks when they were required due to suspicion. In this case, they had all been stopped and searched, Smoke had been found with a knife he had tucked in his boot. They had already abandoned their rifles in a lake just before they left Germany. The soldiers shouted at Smoke in German and two grabbed his arms, Sub Zero told them to let him go to no avail; their foreign language skills still left a lot to be desired. Smoke steamed through his captors arms, the limbs fell off to screams and an angry Smoke poking his fingers through the eyes of two more troopers. They felt the grey enter their bodies, it cooked them from the inside out as their final thoughts and memories faded into blissful obscurity; their various appendages crumpled in a gory pile as Sub Zero froze three of the men. Reptile leapt at the sculptures and shattered them, spitting acid into the face of a young looking soldier and tearing his throat out.

Scorpion pulled his mask and hood on, launching his spear at the captain, he impaled him between his tired eyes before setting fire to the last three in a wall of fire, crisp with bright yellows and oranges. Watching the flames fade, Sub Zero, Smoke and Reptile walked to their leader as Scorpion turned himself, heading deeper into France.

_Nevada_

Kurtis Stryker put his hand on Kabal's shoulder, turning his attention from the typewriter to the Colonel's latest report. Inhaling his cigarette, Kabal took the report from Stryker and opened it.

"What's this?"

Stryker waved his hand up as he strolled away, "Photographs of an unidentified German, taken in France by a French army private. I only got these because of my contacts in Britain."

Kabal pulled out the pictures, the person on the photo was dressed in dark colours, he had a mask though that was seemingly wrapped around his face. The next photograph showed the figure floating above the ground and another depicted a car being lifted.

The scientist shook the cobwebs off of himself, "Where was this taken Colonel?"

"In Paris."

Four blurs rested in an empty field, they sat and rested with the exception Scorpion who stayed on the look out. They were unarmed and running out of rations, water was gathered from Sub Zero's ice being melted by Scorpion and rivers they passed, dirty but it would do until they got some more supplies.

"When do you think we'll get home?" Smoke asked.

Hissing, Reptile replied, "We won't. There'll be something else blocking our path until we eventually end up in a gutter. We are running out of options as it is."

Sub Zero lay back on his hands, looking up at the passing clouds, "Reptile, you really know how to bring a mood down don't you?"

"I speak my mind snowman, unlike you." He began to imitate Sub Zero, "Oooh when we all get home on these tiny amounts of rations, the apple pie will be waiting for us already baked and hot!"

Sub Zero raised an eyebrow but chuckled, "That was pretty good."

Reptile stood and bowed, sitting down again, Smoke shot some harmless plumes at him and Sub Zero clapped. Encouraged, Smoke created rings and various shapes, trying his best to make art out of his ability.

"See? An elephant?" He said excitedly.

"Looks like a cloud. Again." Reptile sniggered.

"Fine!"

Scorpion eventually sat down as the sun set on them. He missed his family but didn't want to share his problems with these strangers. Even if they had fought together, they could be outdone if one strategy fell through the cracks. Closing his grey eyes, he thought to his wife and his child, cradling each other in a rocking chair. The same chair he had been cradled in. Scorpion had been born in 1914, his father, a fellow soldier, died in early 1918, when the Great War was beginning to close. When he was sixteen, his mother was diagnosed with cancer and died three years later. Their influence drove him to succeed but his criminal career started when a series of bad decisions in the boxing ring landed him in prison. He sat there, on the hay, grass and muck mix, thinking of his life back home, the laughs of his fellow soldiers taking him back to the first Christmas with his wife, church was something he didn't have time for when he needed money but his wife insisted. It was the first real Christmas where he felt he wasn't alone.

Stars were bright above the men now, it was past midnight but Reptile was fidgeting on the grass, hungry for warmth. Smoke woke up to a rustling in the bushes, he drew his knife, prepared for a close encounter. Instead, a British captain worked his way through, waving at him. Smoke cautiously headed over to the man.

"Hello," the distinguished looking captain said, "Are you the American's?"

Smoke nodded, "Yeah, have you got our supplies?"

"The rations are right here, as well as the passes, plus, we even brought you a pistol each. Some canteens and a medical kit are included. The basics are all there."

"Thank you. This means a lot."

"My intel dictated that I come to a field not far out of the Paris area. Not very specific, I've been looking for over an hour. Besides, I'm surprised you men are even here. "

Smoke laughed quietly, "Yeah...me too to be honest."

"Don't worry, there's not much further until the train station. Get on and head as far north-west as you can, we have men to smuggle you over to England."

"What about Calais?"

"It's the Germans town now. But if you want to get over the channel, you'll have to head that way. There's a large, abandoned looking house outside of the town, you can't miss it. There should be a Frenchman there by the name of Alphonse. To let him know what you want tell him this; 'Chouette chaussures'. You understand? I wrote it in the medical kit manual in case you forget."

"Shoeay Shousure," Smoke mouthed slowly. "Got it."

"No problems, make sure the other boys know. I have to leave anyway. Can't stay here for too much longer."

"Thanks again," Smoke followed then became curious, "Wait!" he exclaimed.

The Captain turned around, "What?"

"You didn't tell me your name."

Smiling, the Captain called, "Just call me Raiden for now."

Walking through the field, Smoke looked at the sack of supplies, he set them down and sensed Scorpion walk over.

"Was that the contact?"

Smoke nodded and handed the supplies to the team leader, "He had a codename I think, 'Raiden'. It's always strange to see friendly faces out here."

Sighing, Scorpion searched through the bag, "It is. We need to head to England though, not matter what it takes. God knows how long we can last on our own."

Gun shots sounded in the distance, a skirmish developed quickly as Scorpion and Smoke woke their fellow American's. Reptile coughed acid up but stood half asleep. Sub Zero put his mask and hood on, ready to leave.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

Smoke replied, "We have to go now, the supplies were delivered."

Hoisting their own backpacks, they each got one of each element in the sack. The documents were very convincing for checkpoints and train stations. They had false information on what their names were, their home town, marital status, occupation and religion. Scratched, used looking canteens gave a realistic edge too, as if they were used in camping or farming.

Scorpion flicked through his own documents and lifted his head up, "Remember all of this information, just memorise it and we should be okay. Our French isn't too bad, but if you get nervous switch to German and make an excuse. If we keep to ourselves this should go fine."

Reptile was busy reading and Smoke focused on his own page, Sub Zero kept freezing his canteen and waiting for it to melt. Scorpion grabbed his hand and shook his head.

"...and whatever you do, don't use the abilities in public. We might get some funny looks for that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**To answer the Sub Zero question...yes this is Bi-Han. The younger Sub Zero; Kuai Liang, shall make an appearance later in the story. I want to slowly reveal their life stories as I go along because giving it all away would take from some of the mystery. Any way, I hope that answers your question and if you have any others don't hesitate to ask! Thanks again and happy reading!**


	5. United

**United**

_August, 1940_

"You can't leave!" Karen threw the plate to the floor, it bounced and smashed on the beige carpet.

"The letter I received was from the government, it's not like they can keep me with them forever." Bi-Han, better known as Brian to many, replied to his fiancée.

"You left the army for a reason Brian. You left it for me, to start a new life."

Brian's eyes shifted to the destroyed plate. He felt Karen's warm palms eclipse his cheeks and plant a long, sweet kiss on his lips. She held his face and drew away. Focusing on his gaze, tears streamed down her face.

"You..." she stammered, "You...were going to work in the office with my father..."

Brian placed his own hands on her wrists, "I know...but what choice do I have? Ignore the call of a government official and be arrested? I don't know what could happen to me. They must give me a choice. Surely."

Rolls of new tears bitterly wept from her rosy face. She wouldn't stop looking at him, judging his decision to leave her. He had only come to see her at her parents house for a bite to eat, his news was meant to be broken to her in privacy, in an intimate setting where they could communicate without becoming angry. He always felt most uncomfortable around her parents, his mother frequently commented on how much 'like a Jap' he seemed before laughing at the thought. They didn't know he was mixed race but it would matter to them if they found that their joking turned out to be true. Brian grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a tight hold, he whispered in her ear that he loved her, no matter what happened to him. He would go to the ends of the Earth to see her again, even if that meant putting his own life in danger.

She cried on his shoulder, talking into it, smelling his musk, "I want you to come back to me. Promise me that Bi-Han."

_December, 1941_

Sub Zero walked behind the others, taking in the scenery near Calais, after avoiding Paris, the Mortals had taken a train the rest of the way, a small station accommodating them. The four sat patiently and spoke in French as Nazis walked up and down the aisles. A close encounter led to Reptile speaking broken German to one soldier when he couldn't find his pass and convincing him he left it at the former stop. The soldier was suspicious, but let him go. Now they were wandering around Calais, searching for the abandoned looking house containing an old man.

Scorpion saw a chimney stack in the distance, it was partially hidden behind some trees in the countryside greenery.

"This way." He called to the others.

Smoke and Reptile followed, joking about some newspaper article they read on the train.

Sub Zero took his canteen out and drank from it, the water becoming cold as it descended down his throat. He screwed the cap back on, sighing as he caught up with the others.

Reaching the three, Sub Zero could see what Captain Raiden had described to Smoke. The house seemed dead to the world.

Scorpion held his hand up and gestured that they go inside. As he put his hand to the rotting wood, a shotgun barrel peeped out of the other side.

"Que voulez-vous?" a voice softly demanded.

Reptile heaved Smoke forward.

"Erm..." He tried to remember the phrase, "Chouette chaussures."

"Merci." The voice replied suddenly switching to English, "Come on in."

The Mortals entered the decrepit building, each raising and rotating their heads as curiously as possible. The old man turned to face them, his hair was silver and was nearly gone from his liver spotted scalp, his eyes were a kind blue and he had a wispy moustache. They all felt a grandfatherly like quality from him as he smiled at them.

"So!" He exclaimed, "Where are you men off to?"

Scorpion turned to his other team mates, "We want to go into Calais, obviously without being checked."

The old man clasped his to this face, "Americans! My word, nobody told me you had entered the war!"

"Not officially anyway." Sub Zero chipped in.

The old man shrugged and closed his eyes, "Ah well! The more the merrier! I am, part of the resistance. Don't let my age fool you though. I can be quite sharp!"

"Evidently..." Reptile muttered.

Taking a cigarette out of a tin, the old man lit it up and coughed heartily, "My name is Alphonse. I'm not sure if you were aware of that though."

"Yes, we were told by a British captain," Scorpion continued.

"Raiden, I presume?"

"That's right," Smoke interrupted. "Do you know anything else about Raiden?"

"Hmm," Alphonse mused, "Other than the fact he's English and that's his codename, nothing at all comes to mind."

Sub Zero looked through a small photo album before asking, "Have you got any weapons here we could use?"

"I have a couple of German rifles and and MP40. Take what you need, they rarely bother me. They think I'm a crazed recluse!"

Sub Zero took the MP40 from a crate and threw the rifles to Reptile and Scorpion. Smoke asked Alphonse if there was anything else.

"Only my shotgun. You can have it, just tell the resistance to send me another weapon through the tunnel as soon as possible."

"I shall, thank you."

The Frenchman smiled kindly at Smoke just as there was a rock thrown through the window. His smile dropped into a frown, "It couldn't be..." The Mortals crouched at this disturbance as Reptile attempted to look out of the filthy window.

"Aufmachen! Wir wissen, du bist drin!" Clear German voices and boots clopped on the leaves and mud outside.

Alphonse creaked the door to get a better look only to see a German sqaud and one taller man stood upright in the middle of them. Reptile could see them all now as well, puzzled as to the taller man's presence. The other German soldiers had rifles and sub machine guns drawn, waiting for any sign of life.

"What do you want?" Alphonse quizzed.

The man with black cloth wrapped around his head answered, "We know you are concealing four individuals. They have entered this country without proper identification." The tall figure's voice was ethereal. "Open the door," he said calmly.

Alphonse shouted back, "I don't know what you are talking about, I am just a lonely old man. Leave me be."

"Foolishness will not get you anywhere. Open the door."

The Frenchman opened the door slowly, "There is nobody here!"

The figure's eyes began to glow luminously, the emerald green colour fluctuated in his eyes. He seemingly scanned the house but came across the head of Reptile reacting to his presence being known. The black clad figure waved his hand up as the four saw muzzle flashes and bullets ping off the ceiling and go through the walls, Alphonse fell backwards, taking a round to the stomach. Smoke rushed across to catch the falling man only to hear cries of 'There!' as they witnessed the grey masked man completing his task. Rolling, Smoke took Alphonse out of the doorway as more gunshots fired in his direction. Scorpion took his chances and fired one of the Kar rifles at the German's and their mysterious squad leader. Two of them fell dead from shots to the head but the enigma suddenly created a shield of green energy, destroying the bullets as they flew in his direction.

"What the...?" Scorpion said to himself as the man put his hands together and summoned more energy into a sphere, shooting it at the house. Scorpion's eyes widened as he grabbed Reptile and pulled him out of the way. The dead wood panelling, splinters and planks exploded, raining down dirt around them. Sub Zero fired his MP40, injuring one of the soldiers and killing another. Their leader fired a beam out of his fingertips, stencilling the house with his pointing. Reptile climbed the walls to grab his attention, masterfully dodging the beam. Sub Zero then fired at the man whilst he was busy. Nonplussed, the figure brought up another shield with his free hand. Scorpion set fire to a couple more soldiers, hoping to even the odds. The figure smiled anonymously as he caught a preview of their powers.

"Give me more!" He shouted at the house, eventually ending the beam from his finger tips and the shield. In a split second, the energy glowed around his right hand, he punched the soil beneath him, sending a shock wave of worms and leaves towards the five men inside. The Mortals buckled under the stress being placed under them, Reptile falling from the wall and Scorpion tripping whilst trying to balance. More German's fired at the house.

The figure then started glowing from his left hand, snapping a tree from its roots and flinging it like a pebble at the roof. Sub Zero kept firing in short bursts as the chippings descended, he hit another German as more soldiers arrived.

"Smoke!" He shouted, "We could use some help over here!"

Smoke was still crouched over Alphonse, "I...need to help him..."

"You can after we kill this guy!" Sub Zero tossed the gun and faced his palms opposite to each other, turning them in different directions and launching a beam of his own. The figure swiftly erupted more energy to counteract Sub Zero's ice. The colliding of the two energies made the area erupt with a wave of brightness and colour, as if a gust had blown through. The figure was strong, forcing the ice to head in Sub Zero's direction, he could only hold it for so long.

"Smoke!"

He was still clutching Alphonse, sheltering him from the blasts and bullets, "I...can't do this..."

"Yes you can!" Sub Zero was straining and his feet were losing their grip, "Tomas!"

Smoke rested Alphonse's head, appearing in an explosion of steam at the top of the roof. The figure had noticed him but concentrated on Sub Zero, firing projectiles at Reptile and Scorpion when he got chance. Smoke shot boiling streams of out his hands, scalding the Germans firing up at him. That was when Scorpion fired some more shots off at the German 'officer'. Seeing his chance, Smoke started shooting small clouds at their feet, the perplexed looks were soon fixed on their faces as the heat seared through their bodies, only a handful of soldiers avoiding the blast as a huge cloud of blacks and greys floated into the sky. It was silent, the plumes floating in front of their enemies vision. He teleported back into the house, hoping to grab Alphonse as the blindfire turned to muddied sounds of the mind. The elderly Frenchman opened his eyes as the blood intermittently gushed from his stomach wound.

"Go..." he whispered through the pain.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Smoke!" Scorpion cried, "We have to go, now!"

The clouds in front of the house began to clear, all that could be seen was an obscure emerald colour, the man standing, stoically, in the darkness. Scorpion ran over to Smoke and grabbed his arm, Smoke pulled it back to the old man's chest before he saw his eyes close. Alphonse smiled at the man of grey for the last time, a last muster exited his lips, "Merci..." Smoke gently placed the man's head down on the dirty wood. Energy blasts now beginning to shatter through the walls again. Sub Zero rested his hand on Smoke's shoulder as Reptile began to run out of the back with Scorpion, further pot shots being fired from them both. Smoke stood and nodded at Sub Zero, thanking him as Alphonse did.

"Merci..."

The two men exited the house as it began to collapse. Alphonse died to help them go home and now he was hoped to be in a better place for it. Laughing to himself, the figure stood as tails of energy died from his hands and his eyes. As he began to walk away from the scene, German soldiers began to pursue the four men who had stopped two squads from killing them through the trees of the French forest.


	6. War

**War**

Scorpion ran ahead of the others, tripping over exposed tree roots and branches. He didn't want to run and hide but they had no choice, the person they faced was powerful and had the edge at the house. Finally stopping to take a breath, Reptile caught up with his leader. The green masked one breathed heavily to himself as he managed to speak.

"W-why didn't...you...just disappear there and reappear here?"

Scorpion looked up at Reptile, "I couldn't leave you there without somebody to follow..."

Reptile grinned slyly before turning and watching Sub Zero and Smoke climbing the same dirty hill. "You boys took your time!" he shouted.

Sub Zero simply nodded and gave a forced laugh, sitting himself down on the leaves. Smoke stayed still, Scorpion and Reptile turned to each other before looking at Smoke.

Scorpion started, "Are you...are you okay, Smoke?"

The grey one turned, "Mmhm." He mumbled. "I'm fine," taking his hand out and grabbing the nearest tree, he crawled to the top and stared out. Scorpion felt worried for his quietest soldier.

"No Germans are heading this way. Either that, or, they're flanking us." Smoke called to the others.

"They won't."

Yellows and oranges melted together in the sky as the sun began to set on them once again, Scorpion held his rifle close as he set himself a place in front of the dancing flames of the fire. The others followed suit, taking their masks off, leaving the hoods on and sitting down on logs they carved from a fallen tree. The four surrounded the fire, each feeling the loving heat flicker in front of them. Sub Zero talked with Smoke about home and Scorpion sat with his hands together, staring at the burning twigs and ash. Sub Zero glanced at him, he wanted to be civil with him despite their differences, the same went for Reptile, whom he joked with now and again.

"So...Scorpion." The pale eyed one's head shot up, "What's the first thing you're gonna do when you get back home?" Sub Zero asked as he hoped he hadn't asked too personal a question.

"Hug my child and kiss my wife. Then maybe I'll go grab a beer."

Sub Zero was surprised at Scorpion's honesty but was pleased he told them.

"Reptile?" The cold blooded man stopped picking his teeth, still intrigued with how sharp they were.

"Huh?"

"Care to share?"

"Erm..." he thought about what he would do once he got home, "Probably just begin working on the farm again. I hate it but it's the only thing I'm trained to do, that, and, kill people for the government."

Scorpion laughed, "...and you can't even do that very well!"

The group laughed as Reptile brushed it off, he grinned as the brief camp site darkened with the Sun's descent. Time flowed fast, Reptile couldn't sleep he could only think of his past as the others slept.

_1938_

"Son..son...son!"

The young, bright eyed man woke up as a looming figure hung over him. "Get your ass up you lazy sumbitch. I didn't raise you to be a slacker!"

It was four in the morning, Eli Cash opened sleep encrusted eyelids, yawning, he jumped into his slacks and and overalls ready for a hard days graft. His father threw a rake in his path, almost clawing the young man's face off.

"Dad do you mind?"

"Get your ass up." The elder Cash man never looked his son in the eye when he spoke to him.

"I'm up...I'm up...God..."

His father walked and gave him a light tap on the head, "Don't use the Lord's name in vain, you ignorant piece of work."

Eli walked down the wooden staircase, it spiralled slightly towards the bottom and they emerged ready to do some farming. He could feel the constant grind play with his mind, Eli had heard so many stories of the north, how it could be a way out of the poverty. Still, as his father told him, it wasn't much better financially up there. Hours passed and the young man with emerald eyes directed them to the east, he could see the sun set over the old barn, a smile cracked his dried lips.

"Dad," he called, "Look at the sunset today, real glorious!"

"Shut up boy and get back to the house, won't be long until we're up again."

Eli sighed and headed back to the run down mess he called home, as he settled down into his bed he watched a branch outside his room drip with the newly pouring rain. It calmed him to hear the droplets splash on his window and on the fresh soil. Sleeplessly, he gazed constantly as lightning flashed and thunder erupted, the rain growing heavier and the few cows they owned mooing loudly. An hour passed, Eli still couldn't sleep but as soon as he felt some sort of unconsciousness, a dark shadow moved towards the large elm tree that provided so many nightmares.

"Dad?" Eli said to himself as he stood to watch further.

The dark figure moved hunched and seemed to be carrying something in his right hand, assuming it was his father, Eli felt himself settle and turned to get back into bed, that was until he saw his father throw a rope on to the elms branch and took a step on to the large rock that lived beneath it. Running was all he could do, that and forget to grab an overcoat and boots.

"Dad!" He called once more as the thunder engulfed his voice. His father was hanging from the tree, shaking violently from his neck downwards, Eli got to the tree in time to hear his father's neck snap. Eli Cash fell to his knees in shock, the rain disguising tears and the sound of it crashing to the ground muffling his shouts. The youth took the body down and lay sobbing into the chest, half an hour passed before a shot of lightning lit up the elm like it was Christmas.

Reptile lay quietly, looking up at the blackened sky, staring at the stars. He could remember the funeral, his aunt was the only other person there other than him. He could hear the words coming out of the holy man's mouth. The young man got up and walked away as soon as he saw the coffin descend into the earth.

He stayed awake all night and watched over his team mates, the radio he glanced at occasionally began to spark up, static cracked through the receiver.

"Hello? Any of you men alive?" Colonel Stryker exclaimed, the other powerhouses waking.

Reptile was hesitant but answered, "Reptile here...what's up sir?"

"I..." Stryker sounded uncharacteristically hesitant, "I have some bad news."

"Sir?" Reptile hissed quietly.

"Our nation has been attacked by Japanese forces. I'm sorry boys, you can't come home yet."

Scorpion stood fiercely, snatching the receiver from Reptile, "Are you kidding me? You pricks, you incompetent pieces of shit! I have a right to come back myself and fuc-" Sub Zero held Scorpion back until he calmed down, stopping him from destroying the radio itself. Smoke put his hand on Scorpion's shoulder, having it brushed aside as the fiery one took his frustrations out on a tree.

Sub Zero motioned for the receiver. "It's Sub Zero, what do we do next sir?"

"You'll be briefed in the next hour."

_**A.N. **_**Hello! I am back. I decided to take a break and really get some thoughts together for future chapters and I think I have it all set up. This chapter is a little shorter but it's sort of an interlude. New chapter up by the end of the week at the latest. **

**watchmeexplode33...there you go!**


	7. Changes

**Changes**

_**September 1942**_

American ground troops eased forward, their positions increasingly visible as the sun rose slowly over the ocean. The sand kicked lightly, the young men were ordered up the small hill of grain by Smoke. He appeared next to one young soldier, his eyes opening in mesmeric shock.

"Shh," Smoke signalled with his two forefingers, turning his hand into an advancing motion. He carried an M1 Garand and stayed ahead of his squad. Smoke twisted his head, his hood felt tight and it bothered him. Dropping his rifle, his own men staggered back, not knowing what to expect from their mysterious leader.

"S-sir..." The young soldier he had shocked before stammered.

"What? Oh right, no don't worry I'm just adjusting my hood." Smoke gave an awkward chuckle, he wasn't used to giving orders, it made him nervous.

"Oh...okay si-" As he spoke, the youth was shot at several times, his face becoming bloodied and uniform becoming red the others fired wildly, frightened by their equally mysterious enemies. Smoke picked up his rifle and fired back over the tall blades of grass covering the forest soil.

"Cease fire!" He shouted, his men couldn't hear him, they continued shooting and, as a result, dying. Another man was killed and another. Shouting for help, they finally dropped to the sand waiting for it all to be a dream. Smoke peeked over the hill, he couldn't spot anybody in the forest or the trees. He felt hopeless as he ordered his men to stick together and wait until the sun had risen fully.

On the other side of Guadalcanal, loud screams sounded out as Scorpion decimated an Imperial dug out single handedly. The last Japanese soldier remaining was a young private, he scuttled and crawled to the map table where his commanding officer lay stabbed by his own sword.

"Shite kudasai!" He begged in his own blood.

"I may understand you," Scorpion said, "but that doesn't mean I care." Scorpion grabbed the young man's face and stuck his thumbs into his eyes, pushing them back into his skull. He pulled the sword out of the officer and read the map beneath him.

"Hmm...they're trying to push us back to the ridge." He said to himself.

Light rose over the sandy mound, Smoke sat silently, his men needed advice but he couldn't offer it. He thought over the situation in his head again and again but only could see his men being killed and, possibly, himself.

"Smoke, sir. I know you've been trying to think of ways out of this but do you think we should call for backup, I know Garth's dead but his radio might not be."

The grey one stayed still, unnervingly just as a plume of fire scorched through the sand. Smoke moved fast to grab his weapon but Scorpion had already got it for him.

"Scorpion? How did you...?" Smoke's eyes glazed in horror.

"It seems I've taught myself to travel farther and faster than before. Used to be a mile or so but now I think I can go ten if I wanted."

"So much for being stuck with the same powers. At least you've learned something my friend." Scorpion grunted as Smoke looked to his squad, "Men, this is Scorpion."

The boys of his squad still held their rifles firmly aiming out of terror once more.

"Scorpion, this is my squad."

The yellow clad one looked at each of them and raised an eyebrow, "You mean my squad now."

Smoke gave an imaginary breath of relief when Scorpion claimed that. "That's fine with me."

"Huddle up then. What's the problem?"

A small voice spoke up, "We're trapped by enemy snipers in that forest sir."

"Here's what we do; Smoke and I will go first, he will create a cover for you men and then we will sneak around the perimeter, trying to get an idea of where they're hiding. Machine gunners, you suppress them from the hill whilst sticking in prone. Riflemen, as they do that run in between the trees and find a place to take cover, a big log or tree should do. When Smoke and myself clear them out I'll give an all clear. Oh and make sure you keep your mouths shut, they'll know get an idea for themselves as to where you are and they won't hesitate. Some of you may die but it's for your country or freedom etcetera. I myself have a family as do all of you I assume. Now, wait for the haze to clear and the gun fire from them to stop before you start the offence, do I make myself clear?"

"Sir!" They called in near unison.

"Now that's exactly what I meant, don't shout, for Christ's sake." Scorpion turned to Smoke, "Let's do this."

Condensed mist poured out of Smoke's hands and became spheres before he threw them at the ground, he teleported to the outskirts of the forest as Scorpion had, gunshots fired into the cloud with no luck. As it cleared, the remaining squad moved up, the soldiers with Thompson's and BAR's firing as the riflemen moved to find cover. Scorpion watched the muzzle flashes from the trees and shot his spear at the least careless Imperials, usually piercing their chest or throat. Smoke appeared in the tree with the enemy, preferring to push them into the bullet trails and rocks below.

* * *

><p>Snow fell on to the frozen corpses, the white blanket sheathed the Russian soldiers crawling under the dead bodies. Invisible, the Mortal, Reptile hid in an ashen building that looked over a battlefield in Stalingrad. He aimed a Mosin-Nagant out of the black bordered window frame. It lacked a scope but he was only using it to draw any attention away from his crawling comrades. He watched them as best he could but he could feel himself getting bored and hungry. Try as he might, he couldn't help taking a bite out of some dead German soldier for sustenance throughout his months here. Itching his dry skin, he grabbed some of the snow from the ledge. Pulling down his hood, he ate it slowly, a clump of hair falling down the side of his face.<p>

"Pfft." He muttered as he aimed down the irons. Germans moved up with MP-40's and with little concentration, he fired some shots, grabbing their diligence. He ducked and blind-fired, chewing on the snow still before holding the excess water in his mouth. He heard Russian war cries and shooting from PPSH's. Reptile peered over the burnt window and saw the Russian soldiers taking cigarettes and canteens from the Germans. The weaponry their enemies carried was key to continued success but to them it meant well being and basic comfort and that was all that mattered. Hearing footsteps, Reptile turned his rifle to the stairs only to see Sub Zero carrying the upper body of a German officer, his entrails dripping on to the wood.

"A treat for you. He was the beefiest out of his unit."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**I really enjoyed writing this chapter, we're just getting into the midst of World War II now but the story is still only just beginning. Thanks again guys!**


	8. Creation

**Creation**

_Nevada_

"Colonel, you awake still?" Kabal drearily asked.

The colonel was sifting through papers and documents as if he had no time to lose, the sweat on his brow was prominent under the lamp light, his pencil scribbling at the sheets. Stryker sighed sullenly, itched under his chin and turned to face the newly awoken scientist.

"Do you think we can win this war?"

"I...I think we can. I want to believe we can."

Stryker paused for thought and gripped the pencil tightly.

"These men we have are, quite frankly, amazing combat specialists. However they can't be everywhere at once. Guadalcanal is manageable for Scorpion and Smoke, sure. Stalingrad is something different entirely. Sub Zero is powerful but his conscience seems to get in the way."

Kabal sat up on the cobbled together bed, "They are all talented."

"Scorpion is the one who told me that. However, even he has a family but for some reason he has little regard for human life."

"Are you saying he's a sociopath or something?"

Stryker shook his head, "No, I don't think he is. He cares for his family but when he's out there, that bastard knows how to handle a situation!"

Kabal pulled on his shoes and walked to a filing cabinet. He pulled a key out to unlock it, ignoring numerous files until he got to Smoke's.

"Smoke; we tried to give him powers similar to Scorpion's, fire based. This didn't work and now we have a man with steam that can melt a persons skin off."

He reached for another file, "Reptile; he told us beforehand that he was capable of being stealthy and he had the ability to blend in with a crowd. We just gave him the same injection as Scorpion had and he suddenly began to secrete acid and became primarily carnivorous. He started to refuse anything other than a cooked steak.

Changing files again, he read the last one, "Sub Zero; same serum, wildly opposing result, ice based powers. We came to the conclusion that the serum creates different results in relation to different genes. So say for instance, we gave a genetic relative of Sub Zero or Scorpion the injection, the relative would provide similar results."

Stryker coughed and swallowed the information, his eyes had a glint in them before he turned back to his papers and wrote new ideas on fresh paper.

_1939_

Tomas Vrbada could hear the voices of his countrymen and women as they cried for help when the German's invaded. They could do nothing as they were beat for crying. Almost three years earlier a small group of himself and some friends had bumped into a German squad who were having a drink in an otherwise crowded bar. Despite the apologies the squad beat Tomas and his friends with the butts of their rifles, ignoring their pleas for mercy.

After exiting the pub, Tomas thought that they had been left to their own devices. He was wrong. The squad piled out of the pub and took him and his friends into the cellar, forcing them to sit on the old stools that rested below. Tied and gagged, they were left for several days until light shone through the opening doors. Much to their dismay, Tomas and his three friends were pushed into the back of a truck with other confused and lost people. Terror hung over them all. Arriving at a hastily constructed camp, the women and children were greeted by officials with clipboards as the four men were ferried in the other direction. Standing in the snow, the rope still tied their hands as their mouths were gagged. One by one they were lined up horizontally, their backs facing the German captain they had knocked accidentally and his prodigal private with a Karabiner 98k. He saw his friend on the far left be shot, his face scattered on the snow. The tension and their muffled screams rose quickly, his closest friend, Jiri, stared at him as he felt his own fate smash him the back of the skull.

Tomas felt his tears drop down his face as his last friend was killed, Miklos had held back his crying to die like the soldiers they were. Knowing his own fate, Tomas stood prepared to take the bullet. An angry German voice boomed over his own thoughts, the captain was shouting at his private as the Kar-98k jammed. Tomas saw his chance. He ran towards the forest ahead as fast as he could, his hands were tied but not his feet. He never looked back but he could picture the private vehemently attempting to aim and reload. Once he had stopped hearing voices he felt safe.

_Guadalcanal_

Smoke was shaken out of this daydream by Scorpion as they rode in the car. Bombs flew and disrupted the earth, shaking grass free from its confines. Scorpion had to laugh as he drove the vehicle at high speed, the rush of adrenaline kept him from making a wrong turn into the explosions and gunfire.

"Are you going to slow down at all?" Smoke shouted over the intensity.

"Not today. Oh and get ready to jump out in about ten seconds."

Smoke looked puzzled, "What?"

"Now!" Scorpion dived out of the car, disappearing from reality mere inches from the ground. Smoke vanished in a plume as the collision from the vehicle into the watchtower got a vicious response.

"Take this." Scorpion appeared behind two unlucky Japanese soldiers, cracking their heads into one another's with enough force to break their heads open.

"Hey, your mother's a whore," he said casually to another Imperial, blasting him open with a pistol.

Smoke burst back into reality on top of the now falling watchtower, the bunker directly underneath with angry Japanese troopers attempting to move.

"Oh God!" cried Smoke, his shaky illusion skills allowing him to surprise a kamikaze pilot hundreds of feet from his destination. The pilot cursed Smoke as he grasped for dear life on what little he had at hand. Deep blue ocean greeted his sight, oranges and blacks erupting into the sky, tiny muzzle flashes in the distance. He didn't have time for that though, he acted fast, firing a constant stream of heat from his palms directly into the propellers. Sunlight skimmed the rudders and peeked over the cockpit, the man inside praying to himself despite knowing what he was in for. The plane faltered, Smoke steamed up the glass as the melting propellers did little to give him time. The pilot tried desperately to gain sight back, just as Smoke's fist cracked through the glass and ripped the pilot from his seat. He screamed to the heavens as he fell to the sea beneath him, skimming the cold air before the wind tossed him side to side. The breeze grew stronger and the force of the plane swerving tore Smoke's hood off, leaving his face mask and his shoulder length black hair exposed to the clouds.

Smoke took a swan dive, shooting towards the water torpedo-like, he felt breathless as he altered his form, watching the plane careen in the direction of Japanese naval vessels. It exploded on impact, the clouds billowing vertically, Smoke's unintentional warning to other ships. An inch from the water he evaporated, unknowing of his next location.

Back on land, Scorpion waded through the palm trees, golden light shimmered through them, shadows being crafted on the fly with opposition running in his direction. He heard an order to fire at will, his reactions forcing him to transport behind the Imperial soldiers. Aiming the Thompson, he blasted two of them, their squad mates turning to see the imminent backlash that they had brought upon themselves. Throwing his spear at the far man, Scorpion tore a gaping wound in his stomach, the others looked in disbelief and wildly fired in his direction, almost afraid to kill the seemingly god-like being before their eyes. The Mortal once more took leave from his current position, hovering above the four remaining men for a second, he felt disoriented. Scorpion booted one of them to the dirt and took his rifle, shooting another dead and throwing the weapon at the other two. He sprinted over, smashing his fist into a jaw, kicking to the side and winding a torso. The remaining two men fell hard, Scorpion finishing them off quickly with the rifle. The unconscious booted member of that squad had his neck broken. Dizziness overcame the leader, he swayed ninety degrees, clasping his mask and pulling it downwards. Breathing heavily, Scorpion dropped to his knees and lay his palms flat on the fallen leaves, he began vomiting heavily.

"Scorpion?" Smoke called as he appeared only a few yards away. The grey one rested his right hand on his leaders shoulder.

"I-I'm fine Smoke...I was just...too fast I think...didn't give myself enough time t-" He stuttered, expelling the sick violently.

"Is that...blood?" Smoke noticed the sloshing red amongst the chunks.

"Don't worry. I feel okay now..." Scorpion kept exhaling and inhaling slowly to steady himself.

Smoke's eyes flickered with concern, "Positive?"

"Honestly. All good." Scorpion replied convincingly.

The two travelled on foot and saw the blazing wreckages around, bodies lay everywhere and medics patched up the injured. Smoke eyed an American officer muttering angrily at a group of prisoners, a pistol was given to the officer, he entered a rage, shooting the enemy soldiers point blank. Scorpion unclasped his canteen from its leather bearings, unscrewing the cap and gulping as much water as he needed. Smoke held his hand out, silently asking for a drink, as his squad mate, Scorpion obliged.

"How long before we get home?" Smoke said innocently.

"Soon Tomas. Soon."

_**A.N. **_**Next chapter will focus on Sub Zero and Reptile's ongoing fight in Stalingrad. Thanks for all your support so far.**


	9. Souls

**Souls**

_January 1943_

"Reptile?" A weary Sub Zero called, his eyes still drooping.

"I'm right here, no need to panic." Reptile scraped the tip of his finger along his bottom lip, his finger was wet with spit. He rubbed it on the sore skin of his mouth. Reptile could feel the brisk winds of Stalingrad rush along his torso, he shivered, reacting to it.

"Are you cold?" Sub Zero asked, ripping the sleeves off his tanned uniform, his own skin was absent of goosebumps, he was comfortable and felt in his element.

"No, of course not, we're in Russia during the winter." Reptile dead panned.

Sub Zero snickered, ripping the cloth up and placing it in the opening of several bottles.

Reptile arched an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"

"Making a 'Molotov cocktail,' Soviets have been making these to throw at tanks, plus, I'm not Scorpion, I can't conjure fire from the depths of hell."

"You're not looking too swanky are ya? I think even I have better fashion sense."

"That's because...you're a pussy." Sub Zero smirked under his mask, Reptile just hissed.

The two Mortals left the small house preparing to abandon it. Several Soviet squads walked, malnourished and demoralised. A commissar yelled orders from the roof of a destroyed German tank, Sub Zero and Reptile paid no attention, sticking to the mission of aiding their allies. They marched with their foreign cousins and Sub Zero handed the bottles to them.

_Nevada_

Stryker stood in the low lit room deep underground. Kabal saw men in suits and styled hair, standing alongside the colonel and immediately wondered what was going on.

"Er...Colonel?"

"Ah, Kabal, I was waiting for you to come by."

"What...what is going on?"

Stryker took the scientist to one side and bowed his head down as if to take a breath. "I talked to President Roosevelt and he agrees with me tha-"

"He agrees with what? That you shut down the program? Who are these people?"

Stryker gripped Kabal's shoulder tightly, "If you let me finish I'll tell you."

Kabal nodded solemnly, Stryker continued, "The president has agreed that we need more results and I told him that you could get me those results."

"Which means?"

"Which means that my men are going to recruit some more eligible soldiers."

"But...the prospects take months to develop their abilities an..and...practice them...!"

"We could lose this otherwise. Your concerns are noted. As always."

_Stalingrad_

Reptile held one German's head, making him watch Sub Zero dispatch his friends. The German soldier tried to hold back tears, Reptile pulling his face back tightly, pinching his neck. Shooting an injured man, Sub Zero turned to see his comrade holding the enemy.

"What are you doing?"

Reptile looked innocent, "I was letting him watch the show."

Sub Zero walked over sternly, his shadow cast on to the walls, tiny flames flickering through the now abandoned house, Reptile let go and Sub Zero turned his head aside and pulled the trigger on the captive.

"Now...if we had been killed by another gang of Germans, how would this have seemed to them? Holding a captive and torturing him by making him watch?"

Reptile didn't know if Sub Zero wanted a genuine answer but he decided to reply regardless, "The same as it would if we hadn't done it or got killed. Their beliefs are warped beyond belief."

Sub Zero tapped Reptile on the back of the head, the green mask almost coming off. He grabbed an MP40, walking towards the hole in the wall.

"Come on you idiot." Sub Zero continued, Reptile simply laughed.

The Mortals walked through an abandoned warehouse and several houses and streets, encountering nobody yet hearing the sounds of life around them. They arrived in a house which was still warm with the embers of a dying fire, the two decided to settle for a few minutes. Reptile crouched and rubbed his hand on a door frame, carvings made by a family, measuring their children's height. He thought back to his father doing the same for him. By the time he was ten, his father had stopped chiselling into the broken grandfather clock, just after Reptile's mother passed away. Sub Zero lay his hand down on the mantelpiece, feeling the detail on a small, painted doll. It was smeared with soot, seemingly cradled and placed in the wrong direction not long before they arrived.

Reptile drifted to the carpet, catching a glimpse of a photo frame, he crouched to get a better look.

Sub Zero noticed him, "What you got there?"

"It's a picture of the family. I guess it is anyway."

"Here." Sub Zero held out his hand and Reptile passed it over. The family in the picture looked to be wearing aristocratic clothing but their faces were obscured by ash. Sub Zero felt puzzled by the photo.

"We're near the poorer area of Stalingrad, why would they wear these clothes?" He asked.

"Beats me. We're in a strange place," Reptile hissed softly.

Sub Zero gently lifted the back of the frame, pulling it out and easing the picture out. He gave a small laugh, "It's the old royal family."

"What? How do you know that?"

"I read."

A clopping of heels outside suddenly awakened Reptile and Sub Zero, they got below the windowsill and listened to the foreign language, Sub Zero heard 'go back inside' whereas Reptile had sneaked out of the house to which Sub Zero held back his frustration.

"Reptile! Reptile you son of a bitch get back here!" He said in hushed tones. With Reptile gone, Sub Zero reached out to his MP40 that hung from a chair, taking care not to be seen. When he reached it, the door opened and a boot stepped through, the owner of the boot looked bemused more than angry. That soon changed to fear once the sub machine gun was fired, the soldier backing into the now bullet riddled door in a pool of his own blood. The others suffered a similar fate as they stepped over their deceased friend. Sub Zero was thankful there was only three. That was when the front of the house lit up, brick by brick, the wall began to fall and shake and Sub Zero made haste out the back.

Loud, heavy footsteps smashed through the empty street, Sub Zero was sprinting as a light touch of snow fell from the clouds. His exhalation followed him, his body contorting so he could get a better view of what followed him. Sub Zero's developed arms were exposed, his hood nearly shredded.

"Reptile!" He called as he ran, the noise from the connection of boots to cobbles nearly drowned it out.

A black clad figure hovered, a green aura surrounding him. It shot pure energy at Sub Zero, chasing the Mortal. Sub Zero kept running only to be met with Germans at the edge of the street.

"Shit..." The opposition walked towards him, weapons drawn, but still some distance from him.

A wall of emerald appeared before him, forcing him to turn and face the mysterious man they tried to defend themselves against in France. He opened his mouth, the wrappings around his head moving with it. The man spoke.

"It has been a long time my American foe." His voice sounded disembodied, almost static.

"Who are you?"

"My name is not important."

"Tell me before I crush your Nazi face in."

"An empty threat. You failed to even phase me in France, what make you think you can scar me here?"

"Adaptation."

A laugh came from the figure, his accent seemed conflicted. "An excellent answer."

"You still didn't answer my question." Sub Zero stood his ground.

"Very well. I am Ermac."

"Ermac?"

"Yes." Ermac replied, his nostrils flaring, his eyes glowing a dark green.

Sub Zero casually stood up, placing his weapon on the floor, "Well then, you've got me. I'm not one to argue with a better fighter."

"I knew you would understand...yet, that does little to satisfy me or achieve my orders."

Ermac pulled his hands to his waist, channelling energy, his eyes smoking from charging. Sub Zero closed his eyes, knowing what would happen.

"Feel our power!" Ermac's voice overlapped with several others, he fired the beam towards his foe.

Diving, Sub Zero avoided the fatal blow, Reptile leapt from a roof, his invisibility shadowing him from the powerful being. Punching him, Reptile caught the man off guard, immediately grabbing his throat. Ermac fell to the snow with the furious man digging his fingers into his neck.

"I'll rip it out!" snarled Reptile, burying deeper, drawing blood.

Ermac's hands emanated light, Reptile's did soon after. Ermac used Reptile's own hands and removed them from his throat. Reptile stood up, Ermac flicked his wrists and Reptile began strangling himself. Desperate cries for help came from Reptile and Sub Zero responded, firing balls of ice at Ermac, he ran towards the German who parried each projectile. Sub Zero used this to his advantage, jumping at him, kicking him with a large amount of force. He could feel himself connecting with Ermac's chest. Ermac exhaled and coughed as Sub Zero held down the Nazi's hand, and punched him repeatedly.

Reptile's own hands were now free and he saw the rotation and movement of Ermac's unshackled hand begin to charge energy. Seizing the moment, Reptile rushed over and held it down with a knee as he took his mask off, licking his dry lips, he sunk his razor sharp teeth into the now pulsating hand. Ermac let out a scream, his eyes losing their glow to reveal oily irises on a grey canvas.

"Kill this bastard Reptile."

Reptile unclasped his jaw, his mouth foaming acid and obeyed, diving his teeth towards the German's face. Ermac lit his hand up briefly, a quick burst of energy erupted from his chest and threw the duo from him. When they looked up, he was gone and the German soldiers surrounded them.

"Great..." mumbled Sub Zero, he rolled his eyes and exhaled sharply. Reptile was nowhere in sight.

* * *

><p><strong><em>A.N. <em>As always, thank you for reviewing and I should hopefully have a new chapter out within a week.**


	10. Tables

**Tables**

_June 1st 1944_

In the following year, Guadalcanal and Stalingrad were taken and defended successfully by the Allies. Scorpion's ruthlessness had allowed many of the American troops to keep their own sanity and morale as they simply heard of what he had done. By striking fear into the heart of the enemy, Scorpion was becoming a near mythical soldier. The Germans called him, 'Die Schnitter' or 'The Reaper,' the Japanese had called him, 'Gōrudoyanku,' the 'Gold Yank' whereas his fellow Allies named him the 'Yellow Yank' affectionately. Smoke had watched Scorpion do these acts yet didn't speak a word to him about it after Guadalcanal. He felt as if the enemy had being deserving of punishment.

Sub Zero, Smoke and Reptile were kept undercover, where the government could use Scorpion as covert propaganda, and, if needed, they could deny any such person exists, the two Americans helping the communists would be a harder to cover if they were captured or killed. Life was easier as the victory was being swayed in the Allies direction, Operation Overlord was just around the corner.

_June 2nd 1944_

A mysterious figure stood in a telephone box and held his papers, he was taken to a nondescript, Midwest, US town blindfolded and deafened. His bosses dropped him off in a ditch outside of town, he knew the street name and simply walked to the location. As he stood and read the documents, he knew what he was to do. Taking a prototype suppressor from his briefcase, he screwed it on to his Colt. He stepped out of the booth and looked across the quiet road, seeing the house his target was in. He stepped through the gate, a car sat in the driveway, it was covered in filth that had been blown off and on, yet it was noticeable. A hedge sat at the edge of the fence and went on for several metres, the lawn rising behind it, leading up to the house. The figure knocked on the door and waited. No response. Twisting the door knob, he saw that it was locked. Taking the pistol from his holster, he shot it off and gently opened the entrance. Creeping around the kitchen, he lifted his black coat and put the pistol back, nobody stirred, it was an eerie feeling, there was no noise whatsoever.

Treading back, he entered the living room, again, nobody was in there. It was modern but from what he could tell, it had been built by the occupier. Suddenly, a baby's laugh travelled downstairs, the man jumped and headed upwards, careful of the floorboards. Entering through a white painted door sat a woman on the bed with her baby, the look of horror on her face said a lot to the intruder.

"Madam."

"Who are you? Get away! Get out of my house!" She screamed.

He raised his palms up to her in an attempt to calm her down, switching on the radio whilst keeping eye contact.

"Ma'am, keep calm and I will explain why I am here." She stared at him, her curly black hair becoming more dishevelled with each twitching head turn.

"Leave me alone!" The woman threw a bedside lamp at him but it smashed on the wall behind him.

Pulling out his pistol, her look of anger and confusion turned to helplessness.

"Now that I have your attention, I regret to inform you that you will not be seeing your husband any more."

The wife held her baby as it began to cry softly into her breast, "What...wh-what do you mean? Is he dead?" Tears streamed down her face.

"No. But you soon will be."

Gunfire was all but drowned out by the radio, she lay dead and bleeding, clutching her daughter who fell silent as well. Switching the radio off, he felt sick for having killed two innocent people, yet it was either this or the same fate for himself. Exiting the house, he simply went to the same phone booth and asked for the operator to put him through to a government line. From there, he reached his boss' phone.

"It's done. You can do what you need to now."

He left the town soon after.

_June 5th 1944_

Scorpion embraced the knowledge he had been given by Colonel Stryker, the landings on Normandy would give him a chance to destroy the hopes of the Axis powers gaining any sort of advantage. Sub Zero sat near the radio, still talking to the scientist who created them, Mr Kabal, listening to his advice on using his powers, the opposition they would face and the odds of succeeding. Smoke, attempting to entertain himself, crafted hazy models of tanks and cars and slammed them together to create something different. Reptile looked into a cracked mirror, his skin becoming paler and slightly green, as if with sickness.

Sub Zero stopped talking and rested his arm on the back of his seat, "Lizard boy, why so green? You seasick or something?"

"Not as sick as you're going to be when I rip your face off."

"Woah! Calm down there big man." Sub Zero walked over to him and turned the wall crawling Mortal towards him.

"Let me see..." Sub Zero studied him carefully.

"Your hands are freezing!" Reptile recoiled violently.

Laughing, the icy one continued to study his compatriot, "Your pupils, they're compacting or something."

"What? What do you mean?" Reptile turned and looked in the mirror again.

"See?"

Reptile's pupils were thinner, almost vertical.

"How come this isn't happening to you guys?" He asked.

Scorpion piped up, "Maybe because you're so ugly, the serum mutated you into a personification of yourself."

The three of them laughed, even Smoke raised a smile under his mask.

"Smoke, you've barely said a word today," Sub Zero asked, "What's wrong?"

"I-uh, I'm just nervous. This is a big deal. What we're about to do...what we're about to get into could make the biggest difference in the war."

Sub Zero put his hand on the table and leaned, "But...isn't that what we're good at?"

"We won't see each other again after this. We'll be retired for sure."

"You don't know that." Scorpion interrupted.

"How do you know?"

"We're different to the grunts they send out ahead, they need us."

"Scorpion. We are not the only ones fighting this war! There are millions of men out there, each fighting for their family!"

"That may be. But look at what we've accomplished. We have killed hundreds of them between us!"

Smoke had a look of utter disgust on his face, "You think murder is acceptable? I should have known at Guadalcanal or in Sicily...you enjoy this."

Flames seeped from Scorpion's hands. "I want to see my family as much as you do." Scorpion realised what he had said as it left his lips.

Sub Zero stood up, "That's enough!" Just be quiet, we all want to go home, Christ."

Smoke nodded, Scorpion apologised and the rest of the night went by in silence.

_June 4th 1944_

Three men burst through the door and headed into the small Seattle apartment, immediately entering the bedroom. A man sat bolt upright as the woman he had been sleeping with screamed. The three who entered left with a naked man handcuffed and shoved into the back of a car. They left the woman crying into her hands, her left hand displayed an engagement ring.

_June 6th 1944: 0600 hours_

Colonel Stryker was on the radio to the Mortals once more.

"You are good men. What you will see here will change you forever. There will be more blood shed here than any place you ever fight in, guts will no doubt be spilt along the sands of those beaches that barricade Normandy. You four have been to France before but not like this. This, is the real deal. A true mark of courage and defiance will be shown by most, if not every soldier out there. Omaha is a bitch and you must take her down. If you believe you cannot do this or you get scared, just know that there are hundreds of thousands of Allied troops all feeling the same but all believing in the price they may have to pay to deliver our freedom. Stop this tyranny here and now. This is where you will make a name for yourselves. This is where you will earn the respect of every man, woman and child, even if they don't know who you are. This, is the end."

The four men looked at each other and believed what Colonel Stryker told them, they each knew they could turn the tables and topple the Nazi oppression that ruined Germany and their empire.

"Lock and load men." Scorpion loaded the clip into his Thompson and grabbed his backpack, the olive green uniform, coupled with the yellow mask and black hood gave a striking feeling to his unit. Picking up his helmet, he climbed the ladder out of the boat and saw the grey sky, it was bright and the sea was calm. A US landing craft picked him up and a few minutes later, but not after embracing each other, Smoke, Sub Zero and Reptile exited in the same apparel, barring the different coloured masks and weapons. They got on the ship and could feel the air tingle down their necks and ready their spines.

_0600 Hours, 27 Minutes_

"Thirty seconds." The driver said solemnly.

Scorpion exhaled sharply, "You ready?"

His three men nodded, the fifteen others in the boat all special forces, not powered, but hand picked by Stryker for their efficiency and mental stability.

"Ten seconds!"

Loud noises began to enter their ears, the sands of Omaha were lightly coloured, the dark sea splashing up the coast. Everything felt slow until the driver was shot in the head. Blood covered one of the spec team as he shouted in terror. Scorpion saw the gun shoot from the bunker and teleported away, the fire from it erupting from the boat, it was now a clearer target. Smoke disappeared too, leaving Reptile to jump off into the freezing waters. The special forces were cut down ahead of Sub Zero, his nervousness made him act before thinking, making him leave an icy mound on board before it was shot to pieces. He landed in the water beneath.

_0600 Hours, 39 Minutes_

Scorpion woke up, drenched and shell shocked, his ear ringing, he tried to find his gun as the shots blazed through his fellow soldiers.

"Wh-where?"

This was the first time he had felt vulnerable during the war, his hands shook violently as he picked the Thompson.

He called out, "Sub Zero!" to no avail.

Smoke landed on top of a bunker, still plumelike, the wisps continued far into the air and a faint sound stuttered in the distance. Smoke's head had collided with the concrete on impact, making him feel drowsy, that was, before he saw the shell from a navy boat fly at the bunker. Reacting far quicker than he should have, he jumped as the large projectile collided with the bunker, blowing it to pieces and throwing him to the bottom, many metres below. He was the first to bypass the barbed wire.

Reptile swam under the sea, only to watch as the fellow soldiers fell from other boats. As he continued, he saw them shot as the paths of the bullets could be accurately traced. Arriving on shore, he had no idea where his fellow squad was, deciding instead to save the troops from the ocean.

Sub Zero woke on the beach with frost covering his entire body, a capsized boat sheltered him as he contemplated what he was to do. Peering out, he saw the bunkers firing hundreds of rounds a minute. His hood had fallen off, revealing his short but shaggy dark hair, his mask still firmly stuck on.

Scorpion saw the smoke billow from the destroyed bunker, running up the beach with his weapon, he dived near the barbed wire, a lieutenant holding bangalores rushed to place them into the sand beneath. Scorpion crawled over to him and grabbed them.

"Let me! I can get away quicker!"

The lieutenant obliged despite not knowing who the man in the mask was. Nevertheless, he watched Scorpion plant them and rush back. The explosion saw hundreds of troops rush through, many dying, but some breaching and standing under the towering, concrete behemoth that overlooked the sea.

Reptile camouflaged himself, sneaking on the beach and rescuing any men unfortunate enough to have been wounded. It was a risk, he knew it was, soldiers sitting up and moving seemingly unaided but he knew they needed all the help they could muster. As he moved one young man, he saw a squad rush forward only to have holes ripped through them, the amount of blood spraying from their backs in the split seconds seemed obscene. Pulling the young man still, he gave him shelter under a boat nearby, the same boat that Sub Zero sat under.

Smoke woke to find medics working on him, they were panicked, cursing at their own confusion. He looked down at his arm and saw the large gaping cut, blood sat in a little river, flowing down his arm. Curiously to the medics, steam also billowed from the injury. He rolled his eyes back into his head and passed out for the second time.

"What are you doing?" hissed Reptile, "You're supposed to be out there!"

Sub Zero held his leg and his head flopped side to side, like a weight on a spring.

"Re-Reptile...I can't do this..." the icy veined man breathed out frost and coughed blood, an explosion deafened the three men inside, the young man nearly dead and Reptile fighting with his willpower.

"C'mon, we have to help Scorpion. I don't know where Smoke is."

"W-wh-where's Scorp...ion?"

"Through the barbed wire. He made it."

Sub Zero laughed to himself, "Typical."

The Yellow Yank listened to the lieutenant only partially, his eyes focused on the minefield that lay between him and entry to the bunker above. Before he could pretend to pay attention to the lieutenant, the men rushed forward.

"No!" Scorpion shouted, it was too late, he saw the troops get blown to bits, bloody chunks flew down and Scorpion mustered the strength to teleport through the minefield quickly enough to set the remaining mines off. A shower of dirt and yellow light blew up in unison, startling the machine gunners in their bunkers. Germans rushed out of the lowest floor, Scorpion lifted his Thompson, firing at them, before collapsing to his knees.

Sub Zero and Reptile left the boat, the young soldier was treated by a medic. Reptile held his friend up, bullets zipping past them, piercing the sand, Sub Zero was weak, Reptile could only rush at short intervals.

Smoke woke up, the medics were gone and he could see Scorpion directly ahead of him, through the ash that fell to the muck and the sand. Waves seemed louder, crashing on to the shore, he could only see the man he thought violent. He was shooting desperately to save himself. Rising up, he disappeared, appearing next to his brother in arms.

"Get up, Scorpion, get up!" A concerned Smoke rifled for another clip, he fired the Garand as the groggy Scorpion got to his feet.

Sub Zero groaned and collapsed opposite the minefield, he could make out Scorpion and Smoke shooting in the trench, Reptile fired to give support whilst lifting the wounded Bi-Han once more. Taking him across the blackened sand, Scorpion called out.

"All clear! Go, go, go!"

An explosion rocked the door into the bunker, unbuckling the hinges as the yellow and grey men changed sides, moving against their opponents judgements. A German officer cowered upstairs, he thought to his wife and young son, Scorpion held Smoke back, demanding they wait for their comrades.

"Bi-Han? Reptile! Quickly!" Smoke called.

The cold blooded duo had ringing ears, they felt the grime and the salt from the sea gruesomely contrast with their cuts. Reptile remembered what he had been taught as a boy, 'God loves you but you must fear Him.' Reptile didn't fear God any more.

The officer sat in his wooden chair, overlooking the radio and trying to get some sort of command, it didn't matter as the metal door he hid behind was opened. He fired from his Walther. No luck. The menace stood before him showed no mercy, cleanly shooting him in the knee and the shoulder.

"Argh!"

"I need you alive," the menace sadistically told him, "Order your men to surrender or I will blow your head off."

The German's eyes showed Scorpion he didn't have a clue what he was ordering, he waited for his squad to catch up.

A minute passed, then three. He grew impatient as the fifth minute arrived, yet the sixth delivered Reptile carrying Sub Zero and Smoke closing the door behind them.

"What took you?" Scorpion dead panned.

Smoke felt that jokes weren't necessary, "Staying alive."

Scorpion pointed his gun at the German, gesturing to Smoke, "Tell him to surrender his men."

Baffled, Smoke had to ask, "Why can't you? You speak some German."

"I'm exhausted." Scorpion rested his arm on the pale cream wall.

"Surrender Ihre Männer oder zu sterben."

The officer was still scared yet answered, "Ich bin nicht verantwortlich mehr."

Scorpion made out that he wasn't in charge, "Who is then?"

A crash erupted through the ceiling, the debris crushing the officer, the dust made them blind and paralysed them for what seemed like forever. The familiar green aura surrounding the levitating figure, their familiar foe. Ermac.

With a flick of his wrist, the four of them were telekinetically thrown upwards, to the room overlooking the battlefield. Scorpion lifted himself up on the window, he saw thousands of bodies, the sea was crimson, ash rained and the ocean crashed. It was peaceful and horrendous yet haunting. He turned his head, only to feel the colliding of Ermac's fist with his jaw. Relentlessly punching Scorpion, Ermac angrily battered him, it was the first time he had seen him like this.

"I...will teach you...to...ruin this for us!" His punches came during the intervals, like a breathless child excited to show you something they have found.

Reptile leapt on to Ermac's back, biting and spitting acid furiously. He punched when he could bypass Ermac's own hits.

Sub Zero got to his feet, Smoke standing by him, he mustered the strength to project ice from his hands, it caught the mysterious German off guard, his shoulder was frozen partially, the chill immediately came with it. Smoke evaporated, forming just over the disoriented Ermac, his elbow connecting hard on the way down. Ermac shouted in pain, the green aura growing brighter, exploding, releasing powerful amounts of energy, it ripped through the very souls of the Mortals.

Reacting first, Smoke ran at the strong being, hoping to connect his foot as he flew across the room. Ermac's eyes glowed under the black wrappings of his head, he picked Smoke out of the air, the Czechoslovakian helpless, Ermac swung him downward, holding only his right foot. Smoke's head cracked into the concrete, rising again as Ermac's free hand grabbed the grey one's head. Ermac laughed, slamming the body he held into his knee, a yelp from Smoke followed by a slow descent to the hardness of the floor led to Smoke's hood to come off, exposing long, dark hair.

Sub Zero rushed despite his debilitated state, Ermac once more besting his foe. Punches came from each side, Ermac barely lifting a finger as spectral jade hands deflected each thrown fist. Ermac seemingly meditated whilst it happened, releasing more energy and throwing back Bi-Han into a wall.

Scorpion, not one to back down, charged also, hitting the enemy hard, his punches rained down on Ermac's torso and skull, his pupils growing paler. Fire burned from his arms, Ermac let Scorpion hurt him, to let him build the rage. He felt as if he had a worthy contestant at last.

"Keep going!" Ermac called at him. Scorpion answered, kicking Ermac in the stomach, "Yes!"

The German's eyes shone a brightness not seen as he rose towards the ceiling, Scorpion backed away whilst Smoke lay below, energy passing over his body.

"We are here."

With that, another wave exploded from his body, it was more concentrated and the three not in the immediate radius knew it. Smoke screamed as his own body couldn't cope.

"Tomas!" Sub Zero exclaimed only to be met with a beam shot at him.

Still floating, Ermac smiled under his bandages, gathering force and smashing to the floor beneath, cracking the concrete under himself. The three Mortal's looked at Smoke, he lay there, his body nearly in flames, his hair had lost all colour, it was grey.

They looked and nodded at each other, all attacking at once, Ermac was powerful yet the combined finesse of each member made it harder for him.

"We will crush you." His voice was disembodied as it was on there last meeting together with him.

Scorpion struck him as frequently as he could, Reptile used the walls to get the drop on him as Sub Zero tried to freeze the impossible man. Scorpion seemed to become stronger and angrier, his mind filled with his family, his beautiful wife, his newly born daughter. He needed to end it for them. Sub Zero kicked Ermac's back, his mind filled with his fiancée Karen worried sick about him. Reptile thought of his father, his suicide and how it drove him to become powerful enough to stop anything like it from happening again.

Ermac winced in pain, the groans from five different people becoming apparent, they took advantage of it.

"Do it now Sub Zero!" Reptile pleaded.

Sub Zero hands created a powerful stream of ice, it froze Ermac to the spot, his lower body completely covered. With that, Reptile spit acid at the German's face, blinding him yet this didn't stop him making a last attempt to kill Scorpion. Another beam of energy forced Scorpion into the concrete just below the lookout. Reptile's retaliation was ripping off Ermac's left arm to the sound of a blood curdling scream. Sub Zero's hands were covered in fog, a sharp instrument being created anew. A sword was crafted from his mind, he had never made anything as magnificent. Its effectiveness was tested to great success, cutting the right arm off and freezing the open wound immediately. As Sub Zero was about to deliver the final blow, he glanced at Scorpion who had his hand raised up.

Scorpion stood and saw the terrified expression on Ermac's face, the Yellow Yank's eyes burning with ferocity and passionate revenge in mind.

His lack of body didn't stop Ermac from commenting on the situation.

"Y-you think you are a warrior? You were not a worthy rival! It took all four of you to injure me! I demand you let me go!"

Scorpion's head was lowered slightly as he listened to the pleas of the man who made their journey more perilous than it should have been. He readied his spear.

"GET OVER HERE!"

The spear pierced the chest of Ermac, his eyes widening in shock.

Scorpion grabbed the rope that was tied to it with both hands, pulling it mightily, Ermac's torso came away from his frozen waist and legs as if it was sand taken by the sea. Green light purged the room, screams from somewhere other than Ermac came with it. The lifeless body lay before Scorpion. He immediately stomped on the skull to a satisfying crunch.

They had killed Ermac, the Axis' most powerful soldier.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**I'm back! Two months is a long time yet I have finally updated. This was very satisfying to write yet getting into the flow of things took time. New chapter by the end of this week, I promise. As always, please read, review and thank you.**

**-Mr Havik: _"This is good, isn't it?" _I hope you appreciate that one!**


	11. Betrayal

**Betrayal**

"Smoke!" Sub Zero ran to the unconscious Czech, his olive drab uniform shredded and blackened.

Sub Zero held his friend up and tried waking him, Reptile walked over, his rough skin covered in marks from the battle, Scorpion looked out to sea, the battle had calmed yet his mind had not. He immediately set a flare down and wandered over to his team.

"We have to go. The navy will destroy this place soon."

Sub Zero thought it was callous so soon after what had happened, "Can you not just wait until we know he's okay?"

"Our priority is the mission. Don't say otherwise. Smoke's a strong soldier, he'll make it. Now come on."

Scorpion held Smoke's arm and Sub Zero's before looking over to Reptile, "You can make it out whilst I transport these two, right?"

Reptile nodded, vanishing from sight. Scorpion focused, the three of them soon disappearing as the shell destroyed the bunker and with it, the rest of Ermac.

_0800 Hours 3 Minutes_

The three appeared in a field a few miles from the beach, it was covered in flowers, untrimmed or tended since France was invaded. Normandy was quite the sight, large plumes of black smoke rose into the sky, seemingly parting the overcast and letting the endless light blue peer through.

Scorpion left Sub Zero to tend to Smoke whilst he grabbed their radio, it was nearly smashed to pieces yet it worked.

"Eagle come in, Eagle, this is Scorpion."

"Scorpion, this is Eagle, patching you through to Colonel Stryker now."

A fizzing came from the other side, Scorpion waited.

"Scorpion? Is that you?" came the familiarity of the Colonel's voice.

"Yes sir, mission complete, we have taken the beaches but there is another surprise."

"Go ahead." He sounded nervous, unsure of what they had found.

"Ermac, their own super soldier, was overseeing operations there. We killed him."

Stryker was flabbergasted, his mind boggled and he suitably impressed, "Well done Scorpion. Are there any of the others with you?"

"Sub Zero and an injured Smoke. Reptile is on his way I think."

"Thank you Scorpion, tell the other Mortals that as well. I'll see the President speaks with you as soon as possible."

The radio died down, the crackling stopped and coughing started coming from Smoke.

"Smoke! Don't move, you'll hurt yourself more."

He was in pain, but Smoke managed to speak, "B-Bi-Han...what happened?"

"We did it Smoke. We killed the bastard."

Smoke's face beamed under the mask not realising Scorpion was walking back over.

"The colonel said thanks and congratulations. We've done our country a great service."

_0800 Hours 47 Minutes_

Reptile walked to the field he had agreed to meet the rest of the squad on, it was still morning, the sun began to beam through the tree branches and birds sang. It was exactly how he pictured the Garden of Eden when he was a little boy, and with it, he couldn't stop thinking about his parents.

Passing through a bush, he could see the rest of them sat with their elbows on knees, they were tired, so tired but they had to keep going. Reptile waved over to them, it was half hearted but they returned the wave back.

"Goddamn Krauts..." Reptile laughed and sat besides his fellow men, waiting for their pick up.

_20st June 1945 – Okinawa_

Reptile and Smoke walked along the roads in Okinawa, Reptile held a M12 Pump Action Shotgun , whilst Smoke held his favourite rifle, the M1 Garand.

"You know...I think I'm starting to like my hair this way." Smoke claimed, running his hand over his now shaved head.

Reptile snickered, "I'll admit, it's better than that sissy style you had it in."

"It grew too quickly!"

"Suuuuure it did. And my face isn't becoming more cracked and painful each day."

The two veterans laughed, the rest of their unit two metres behind them, looking out for Japanese troops.

"Y'know..." said Reptile, "If we manage to find any Japs left, what are we gonna do with 'em? We have this wrapped up already."

"Well...we'll take them prisoner. That is, if they don't attack." Smoke replied.

Night fell over the island, Scorpion and Sub Zero were miles opposite their counterpart duo, resting on a beach in the south. Scorpion had lit a fire, Sub Zero was in the ocean, freezing passing fish to cook.

Toying with the radio, Scorpion began talking to Colonel Stryker.

"Scorpion," the colonel said, "Are you alone?"

"Sub Zero is nearby, why?"

"I have something...private to tell you. Get him out of your immediate area."

"Okay..." Scorpion was confused by his commander's request.

"Er...Sub Zero."

"Yeah?" Sub Zero happily answered.

"Can you get me some fruit from the trees."

"What? Why can't you get them? I'm busy."

"I'll get the fish, you've only got three."

"Ha, okay I guess. If you can do better, then go for it, BOSS." Sub Zero laughed to himself and walked to the palm trees behind them.

Scorpion rushed to the radio, "Well?"

"I have some bad news to tell you Scorpion. We went to deliver some news to your wife about your safety last year."

Scorpion feared illness of his child or the death of her parents but let Styker continue.

"Your wife and child were murdered last year."

Scorpion's eyes turned pale yellow, the anger that came with his powers was stronger than what he felt against Ermac.

"Why did you not tell me this before?" He was furious, his hands flaming, his gloves burned right off, the fire burning up his forearms, towards his rolled sleeves.

"We would have let you know sooner but the circumstances are more complicated than I have let on. Days before you went to Normandy, we called Sub Zero back for tests. We didn't know it then but we recently found out he had stolen your address and disappeared for a few days. He told us it was to visit family. We don't know why, but he was the one who shot and killed your wife and daughter. I'm sorry but we didn't know until a couple of days ago."

Scorpion's mind was filled with ferocity and primal rage, he barely took the time to speak before Stryker piped up.

"We want you to kill him. He has committed an atrocity against you, which means he has broken both the law and military protocol. He is a traitor to this government and to you."

Scorpion waited, he was in a primal state yet he waited for Sub Zero to return.

Sub Zero walked with little in his hands, bar the knife he had taken with him, he saw Scorpion stood, fire burning from his arms.

"Did the fire go out or something?"

Scorpion turned, his eyes that familiar paleness that struck fear into his enemies. Sub Zero, aptly, froze himself.

"Scorpion?"

Sub Zero couldn't predict Scorpion teleporting behind him, the flames barely licking his back, a hard punch to the back of the head almost knocked Sub Zero out it was so angry. More punches hit Sub Zero, the icy one confused and blocking his head and body from further strikes. Turning, Bi-Han caught Scorpion off-guard, grabbing his fist and hitting him in the chest, the slightly bigger man falling backwards.

"What's wrong with you?" Sub Zero cried in vain.

"You know." The calmness was horrifying to Sub Zero, they had been through a lot together, all for it to come down to a seemingly random and unwarranted act of violence.

"Talk to me! Tell me what I did!"

"You know." Scorpion repeated, speeding towards Sub Zero, whom created a sword similar to the one he used to dismember Ermac.

"C'mon then you bastard!"

Scorpion powered through the ice, melting it and began punching his former friend, his anger felt justified, he had the man who did it right before him, he had the destroyer of his family at his whim, his future mattered no more.

Releasing the spear, he scraped a dodging Sub Zero's arm, the blood seeping through, he took his chance, attacking the wound mercilessly.

"Stop!" Sub Zero parried the shots meant for his arm and connected with Scorpion's chin. It was a solid hit, Scorpion stumbled but released the spear once more, this time, covered in flames.

"WHY DID YOU KILL THEM? WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU?" Scorpion screamed at the top of his lungs, he wanted answers, and fast.

"I killed no one!" Sub Zero replied.

"Lies!"

Fire and ice collided, the sight from the sea would have been marvellous, the chaos bouncing off the sand. The two kept striking at one another, Sub Zero determined to calm down his friend. They were equally matched, Scorpion knew Sub Zero was strong but refused to believe his three comrades were as strong as he was. He had tried to fight the notion of arrogance off but he knew he untapped potential, something more.

Sub Zero fought desperately, he didn't want to hurt his leader but he didn't want to give him an easy fight in case the worst happened.

Feigning a punch, Sub Zero tricked Scorpion into blocking at the wrong moment, he tackled the man he had called a friend to the white sand, the moonlight shining over Okinawa, providing them a spotlight to battle under.

As they collapsed, they collapsed exhausted, their pants for air leaving them even more breathless. Scorpion gave some weak punches to Sub Zero's kidneys but it made no difference. Sub Zero had won.

"Sc-Scorpion...it's time to g-"

Or so he thought.

Scorpion built up fire around the two of them, embers flickering into the sea breeze, carrying like a paper lantern. They disappeared from sight.

_Nevada_

Colonel Stryker looked at the man tied, bloodied and naked on the chair. The one way window he stared through gave him the power he felt necessary to his position in the base. He held the cards and he knew it. The man he watched cry for help was one of the new generation of Mortals.

_Okinawa - 0600 Hours_

The beach was peaceful, ocean waves covered the sand gently, dawn settled over the island, gunfire was absent for the first time in a long while. A dark sear appeared, the black patch then produced fire and brimstone, throwing an unconscious Scorpion into the air. He landed hard but stayed still, waking mere minutes later.

Awakening, he twisted his head to see what he was holding. It was Sub Zero's skull and spine.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**Thanks for the support again guys, we're getting into the crux of the story now, so more excitement to come.**


	12. Power

**Power**

Scorpion threw the skull away from him, his eyes wide. He had killed Sub Zero. Picking up the radio receiver, he spoke into it.

"Colonel...I did it..."

"You killed him? Are you confirming that?"

"Kill confirmed. Sub Zero is dead."

"Well done son, you've destroyed a real threat there."

Scorpion took a deep breath, "What are my orders?"

"The war is over Scorpion, I'm bringing you back home."

"Do Smoke and Reptile know about Sub Zero?"

"Leave it to me."

Scorpion put down the radio and sat on the soft white sand, the waves ever silently crashing on to land.

Reptile and Smoke walked towards their leader, hours had passed and he was still sitting on the sand, motionless.

"We heard the news," Smoke said sorrowfully, "I'm sorry Scorpion."

Scorpion grunted, Reptile crouched down and flicked pebbles into the sea, "It was for the best."

_November 22nd 1963_

Scorpion sat in sewer tunnel opening, his leg stretched out. Reptile sharpened his teeth, his carnivorous nature grown ever since. The Mortals were more or less used for reconnaissance and 'need to know' missions since the end of the Second World War. Scorpion stayed at the military facility, training intensively ever since. He didn't feel older despite twenty two years having gone since he and the others had been changed into super men. He was forty nine years old but didn't look a day over twenty seven, they ruled it out to be a side effect of the serum but not everybody could claim it was an immortality solution just yet.

Reptile's appearance had altered so much when he went back to his home when the war ended, he wasn't recognised by any of the thirty residents in his home town and it had changed immensely in the two decades since. His hair had all but fallen out completely, his skin, despite being pale and covered with a light farmers tan had shed, the itchiness leading to the dropping of pigment, pale, bumpy, sickly green skin lay beneath. Reptile's eyes had changed from their bright emerald to yellow covering his entire eye, his pupils mere cat slits. His nose was still intact as were most of his body parts, but it was his eyes that bothered him most.

Smoke was not with the Mortals today, he was sat at home with his wife and their children. Having arrived back to his home in New York on Victory Day. Smoke immediately began drinking with some of his migrant friends, this led to him stealing a sailor's uniform, dressing up in it, wandering on to Times Square where he kissed the prettiest woman he could see, a photographer caught them in the moment, the picture ended up in papers all across the world. From that bright flash, he had found his soul mate, Deborah Jackson. She became Mrs Vrbada six months later. Scorpion and Reptile had gone to the wedding, unmasked and out of the way, they drew no attention to themselves, simply nodding towards their comrade in approval and modesty. Another guest was with them, a man known as Kevin to other Americans but as Kuai-Liang to his family.

The new Sub Zero was different to his older brother, he was more confident and he liked to get the job done, the masks they wore were updated to include better protection, as well as an overall different look. Kuai-Liang refusing to take on his deceased brother's mask, insisted they made him a new one. He didn't know that Scorpion had taken Bi-Han's life away. Scorpion, still believing that Sub Zero had killed his family, didn't like Kuai-Liang, his jostling for power within the group uncalled for according to the Yellow Yank. He was content with another having the same useful abilities and he knew his resentment was for the elder brother, not for his sibling but Scorpion did not like being questioned by this younger man. The new Sub Zero was not with them on this day.

"You ready?" Reptile asked, throwing the rifle to Scorpion.

Catching it, Scorpion pulled back the bolt and walked up the dirt path that was carved into the middle of the embankment.

"Let's do this."

_New York City, NY_

"Tomas, what are you doing over in here? Brian needs help with his homework." Deborah called to him from the back porch.

Smoke sat in the shed, his mind elsewhere. He had the life he always wanted, a loving wife, two beautiful children, a roof over his head, somewhere safe to just relax. Now and again he would take time out to mourn his friend Bi-Han, going as far as naming his son after his alias. He still couldn't convince himself that the former Sub Zero had hated Scorpion so much he would murder his wife and young child. They were never the best of friends, he knew that, but Bi-Han had morals, maybe that was what made it hard. Putting a hand through his slicked back grey hair, Tomas Vrbada went inside, trying not to think what would happen next in his tumultuous life.

_Dallas, Texas_

The promoted colonel, General Stryker, now in his late fifties was on the other end of the walkie talkie, Reptile talked to him, little details were shared, small crumbs of information about the motorcades vicinity, the amount of onlookers, cars and Secret Service agents searching for trouble.

There was a pause, then Stryker spoke, "The decoy is in place, we gave him a rifle and a pack of ammo, we'll send the President's men there to arrest him."

Reptile picked up the binoculars and watched as the open topped limo turned the corner.

Scorpion peered down his telescopic sight, "Lancer sighted and en route," he muttered to Reptile.

President Kennedy waved to the crowd, tiny flags waving to him in unison, the First Lady also gave a wave. Scorpion cast any thoughts about destroying a family out of his tempered head, waiting for confirmation from Stryker.

"Do it." Came the order.

One.

_CHING_

Two.

_CHING_

Three.

_CHING_

Scorpion and Reptile moved from the grassy knoll swiftly, hiding the sniper rifle in a suitcase specially designed to conceal it. They sped down the embankment and ran down the small river of water to the sewer entrance, the enormous pipe containing a door leading to their extraction at the other end of the city.

_Nevada, November 23rd 1963_

Kabal, bit his lip in frustration, he sat at his desk, tapping away at the document he was just given.

LANCER: **ELIMINATED**.

ASSASSINATED BY:

NAME - CLASSIFIED

ALIAS - SCORPION

NAME – CLASSIFIED

ALIAS – REPTILE

That was just the first page, General Stryker walked in, a cigar blazing from his mouth, the near white streaks of hair above his ears prominent and intimidating, he was still a large man yet Kabal was not going to let him bully him.

"You son of a bitch!" Kabal yelled.

Stryker's grin turned to shock and then to anger, "What did you just call me, pen pusher?"

"How could you do this? How could you let them use Scorpion and Reptile like that? That's the Head of State they just blew to bits. The CIA could have handled it without us for Christ's sake!"

Stryker threw his cigar down, stomped it out and got in Kabal's vicinity, "Talk to me like that again and I'll make sure you get a real nice going away present when you get home. Is that clear?"

Kabal could feel his heart racing, but calmed himself down, "When the world finds out who killed the President..."

"They're not going to. We had a dummy in there, he's been arrested and it's all been taken care of."

Kabal didn't care, he needed his life work to be different, to be used for the greater good.

"It doesn't matter! They were there, hundreds of people must have seen where the shots came from, someone will have."

The general got even closer, poking a finger in Kabal's chest, "Listen to me you little prick. It is all under control, we now have what we wanted."

Stepping back, an air of confidence overcame the scientist, "Oh! So I suppose it's all okay then, hmm? We get the war we wanted but, GASP, we murdered the President. Who is going to lead us through it now? Y'know what this means? The Soviets, the Cubans, the Vietnamese, Chinese, all of them after a piece of us."

"We have a new leader."

"What's the use?" Kabal sat with his head in his hands, he felt angry and used.

"Do your job and I'll do mine. Got it?" Stryker warned.

"Yes sir..." Kabal replied.

Stryker stepped into his own office, waiting for the Mortals to arrive, his telephone call to them earlier came across as urgent.

Scorpion stepped through, sitting to himself after saluting. Smoke and the new Sub Zero arrived together with Reptile appearing out of nowhere moments later.

"Good," Stryker stated, "Now that we're all here we can get down to business."

"What's this all about sir?" Reptile questioned.

"Yeah," Sub Zero said, "Who do we have to kill?"

Scorpion stared at Sub Zero, infuriated by his petulance.

"I have an announcement. Due to the untimely demise of our President, we believe that you will be needed here again due to the increasing intensity in communist nations and ourselves. We need all of you to come here for training more often. Scorpion, I know you reside here full time..." Sub Zero gave a snide laugh at the thought of Scorpion living there day in, day out.

Stryker kept talking, "This provides us with the opportunity for you to polish your leadership methods. Smoke, seeing as you have a life outside of the military I will need you to do your duty and be joint second in command with Reptile, who is our recon. Sub Zero, seeing as you are the newest addition to this team, you will have to speak with Scorpion and go over the tactics with him. He is your commanding officer so respect him."

Sub Zero made a choking noise in disgust, "General Stryker, if I may..."

"Shut your face you pole smoking prick." Scorpion said bluntly, Sub Zero did as he was told.

"Is that everything?" Smoke asked.

"No, it's not. Look at Korea. Remember how only Scorpion went in?"

"Yes." Reptile replied.

"This wasn't due to us believing we could take them on with regular infantry only. None of you know it but we do have another team."

The Mortals didn't know where to look or what to say. Stryker continued.

"Four others with abilities were field tested in Korea, I can assure you, they did rather well."

Scorpion felt his hands get hot, "What do you mean another team? Why couldn't they have been added to my squad?"

"They will be," Stryker said, "Sort of. They are going to be working alongside you in any upcoming affairs. This century just keeps getting more deadly. First the atom bomb, now communist states, what can you do, eh?"

"Who are they?" Smoke queried.

"They are called; 'The Grims'. Each one of them hand picked by myself and Doctor Kabal."

The original Mortals glanced at each other, unsure what to say. Sub Zero simply stayed silent.

Later that same day, Stryker talked to a man from the CIA who had paid a visit, the man sipped on the lukewarm coffee the staff had made him and he coughed, awaiting Stryker's decision.

"Get President Johnson on the phone as soon as possible."

The CIA man lit a cigarette and took a drag, "He'll come around to it, don't worry."

Stryker placed one of his large hands to his jaw and rubbed his clean shaven face, turning to face the man.

"Whether he likes it or not we will have a war in Asia."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**Hello again all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it feels good to be moving on to a different era of time, but don't worry, it's all part of my original plan. As always, feedback and ideas are welcomed, it gives me inspiration. Thanks again.**

**-ProjectSaurian: Thank you for your ideas, a lot of what you have said is similar to what I have in mind, watch for those characters soon.**

**-Mr. Havik: I hope this is soon enough!**


	13. Jungles

**Jungles**

_15th July 1966 – 7.40 am Hanoi time_

Scorpion had trained hard, the eventual build up to the war in Vietnam had come down to this. Sweating heavily, the sun didn't deter from his own focused mind. Wearing his black hood, his newly designed mouthpiece was to give further fright to any forces they would encounter. The skeletal motif clear to anyone who got close enough. A hefty Marine jacket with bulky pockets was worn on his top half, a black vest underneath, his arms exposed. In his hands, he held an M16, a prototype that Scorpion felt very comfortable with. The squad had been airlifted towards their first mission in a Model A Huey, the default helicopter for the US forces.

Smoke sat across in his gunnery seat, the large machine gun untouched in its regular position. Smoke had a regular uniform on, long sleeves despite the heat and a helmet, his mask wasn't as designed towards a motive unlike his squad leader's but the gun metal grey face plate covered his entire mouth and jaw. He too had trained when he could, the fact he had a wife and children had stopped some of his progress though, which irked Scorpion but pleased himself. He didn't want to train for combat all the time, he had had enough to last one lifetime, let alone another.

Reptile flipped a penny as soon as they had left the ground, sometimes crawling outside the helicopter and roaming its underbelly. His own training had been as strenuous as possible, attempting to adapt his unique fighting style to every situation he could think of. The base back in Nevada had given him his resources but it didn't help his growing depression over his appearance. Doctor Kabal had the chemistry team create a drug that helped slow the process of his reptilian urges and outward visage. This had worked to great effect, some of the scaliness had smoothed over and was beginning to revert yet he hadn't changed massively since the early sixties.

Sub Zero sat on the other gunner seat, he was attired similarly to Scorpion with his faceplate differing, the same faceplate he had been given when he joined. Still not sure why he was there, Sub Zero had been given the serum. His abilities, as promised by Doctor Kabal, replicated from his genes, giving him powers similar to his brother, the late Bi-Han.

Smoke craned his neck toward Scorpion, "How long do you think this will last?"

"You asked me that last time."

"Sorry that I would rather be back home."

The pilot of the chopper shouted from the cockpit, "Couple of minutes till we reach the LZ."

"Reptile, can you sit still for a second?" Sub Zero asked the lizard man.

"I'm just glad to be back in action! Ain't that right Scorpion?"

Scorpion looked up and nodded silently.

"There! See? Scorpion is all about being back in the group," Reptile stated. "When we actually gonna meet these new guys then?"

Smoke joined the conversation, "They're not exactly 'new' though, are they? They 'only' started in the 50's. I have no doubt that they're in their thirties, tops."

"Ten years is a long time to get used to your powers though, isn't it? Who knows how strong they are?" Sub Zero mused.

The pilot turned to the Mortals once again, "Enjoy the fireworks boys."

As they gazed across the lush green jungles, jets flew over and delivered their payloads of napalm bombs. Agent Orange swept across the trees after being dropped by other helicopters, the chemical stink was faint but could still be smelt. The trees burnt but no screams could be heard, the rotors loud in their ears. Massive clouds of black smoke erupted into the air, it was a horrible combination of pesticide, burning, forestry scent and possibly flesh. The LZ was approached with relative ease, the tall grass went to their knees when they stood in it. Carrying their weapons and wearing their helmets, the Mortals walked through the field and listened to the dead air, the lack of wildlife and its noise was eerie, the silence was only complimented by the breeze and the crunching of grass underfoot.

"LZ is deserted, these people don't stand a chance. I say we head back when we can, get the radio and call it in," Smoke quietly demanded, his stomach churning.

Scorpion turned his body and walked backwards, awkwardly side stepping to see where he was going, "We haven't got confirmation of anything yet Smoke. When we find any bodies we'll call it in."

Stumbling, the squad kept walking further into the still grown jungle ahead, the bombing had yet to commence there. Sub Zero remained sweat free despite the searing heat, Reptile also relished in the heat, Scorpion and Smoke were perspiring constantly. The heat here was also known to play tricks on the mind. Smoke swore that he heard a groan, a weak cry but he couldn't be sure until he'd checked. The three trundled ahead still, Smoke breaking away to check the area he heard the noise come from. His eyes widened and he recoiled once he found the noise.

"C-come here!"

A single Viet Cong soldier lay still, barely alive due to the napalm, skin hung loose off his neck and the burning lacerations covered his face and the rest of his body. He had shed tears but the pain of moving had stopped him sharing any emotion. His eyes were open slightly, he was nearly dead but he had kept himself awake.

"G-giúp...t-t-tôi..."

"Jesus Christ," Sub Zero put bluntly. "Well don't just stand there!"

"Kill him," Scorpion said, pulling out his handgun and presenting it to the grey one.

Smoke stood and stared, shock surrounded him, he couldn't think or breathe.

"Fine."

Scorpion turned the pistol and shot the man between the eyes, the leader walking on after. Reptile put his hand on Smoke's shoulder twisting him away from the deceased. The Mortals were officially part of the Vietnam War.

_Outskirts of Saigon: 15th July 1966 - Approx 9 pm Hanoi time_

"H-how did you get here?" The Viet Cong officer spat at his captors.

"It was easy," one of the interrogators said, "We walked in."

"You mess with us? You'll pay for this!"

"Shut your mouth you piece of shit," the single female captor demanded.

"The Viet Cong will have Vietnam! You Americans believe you can walk in here and take over. We want to be communist you fools! Let us be!" The nervous ramblings of the officer produced broken english as he struggled to come across to the group that held him.

"Did the soviets put your army up to this? The POW's, the executions, the rape?"

"No!"

One of the Grims smashed his fist across the officer's face, a trail of blood pouring from his bottom lip to the floor.

"Tell us."

"N-no!"

Another punch from an enormous hand.

"The Russians or you, decide."

"F-fuck you imperialist dog...h-ha, ha."

A hard one, two nearly seperated the officer's head from his neck.

"You're making this hard on yourself," came another indistinguishable voice.

The officer was more than dazed, it was as if his soul had left his body, "S-s-soviets deeper in this...than you t-think..."

"Go on."

"W-we keep POW's, they c-change them..."

"How do they change them?"

"Ex-experim-ment..."

"What with? Illness? Cures? Chemicals? What?"

"Super...man...super...men...super...soldier..."

A gun shot sounded out and the Grims left Saigon with their information.

_Nevada: 15th July – Approx 8:30 am_

General Stryker sat with Doctor Kabal, the military base was being worked upon, the decaying and obsolete replaced with the new and high-tech. The office they sat in was Stryker's, the two aging men sat looking at one another until Stryker spoke.

"We have been informed of a problem," Stryker began.

"What is it?" Kabal replied.

"The Grims have received information on the soviet threat."

"And?"

"The soviets are allegedly creating or have created their own super soldiers. They have used US POW's to test on and subsequently kill them. It's a trial and error sort of thing, you know."

"Unfortunately I do," Kabal muttered solemnly.

"Nothing from the Mortals yet though, I assume they are doing their job though."

"No doubt."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**I was having trouble with this chapter, how to start it and get it introducing Vietnam so here it is, short and hopefully sweet! The 'Grims' will be introduced in the next chapter; which WILL be longer and hopefully be more exciting. Thanks for all your reviews and support once more.**

**MortalInKombat – No problem! You've been very supportive!**

**Mr Havik – Maaaaaaaaaaybe. A Snake Eater cameo would be the best way to go but I'll see how we go.**


	14. Grims

**Grims**

_Outskirts of Cu Chi, near Saigon - 8th January 1967 – Approx 6 am Hanoi Time _

Scorpion sat with his back to the rest of the team, their eyes heavy and sleepless, catching some winks and drifting into dreams once every few hours. He hadn't slept all night, much less the past six months since they arrived in Vietnam, the leader of the Mortals had done his best to keep morale up and their best interests going but it was proving inevitable, these soldiers wanted out of a war of attrition. Standing, taking his gun apart for the fifteenth time that night and cleaning it again, the mask-less Scorpion kept his wits about him, the tent they slept in about to be overwhelmed with the sound of troops marching into battle. Intelligence had barely told them anything, just that they were taking the Vietcong head on, halting the 'Iron Triangle', its operations and the leaders of the NLF before they took this skirmish beyond sanity. Scorpion didn't think it was a war, for him it was just him killing, practising for a real war, a real sense of victory that would overwhelm him, like World War II had done.

New Year had passed him by, Sub Zero and Smoke had talked about their families, it bonded them almost as closely as it bonded the grey clad member to the former Sub Zero. Scorpion didn't want them to be close, it would only make Smoke weak and, in his eyes, kill Sub Zero before he was inevitably killed anyway. General Stryker had contacted them only a handful of times in the half a year they were living there, and it was only to issue orders, nothing more. Nothing about Smoke's family, nothing about Sub Zero's and nothing about anything, just commands. Kabal, in his only call, had mentioned stirrings of a political nature, people wanting out of a war they had basically just entered, peaceful protests and riots alike. America was changing fast and Scorpion was unsure whether it was for the best.

Smoke rustled himself awake, eyeing his commanding officer, and greeted him, "Morning," he yawned, "What time is it?"

"Time you were all up to be frank."

He fired a round up through the material, waking the other two members of the team.

"What the hell?" Sub Zero shouted.

"Now that's a wake up call..." Reptile muttered, blinking several times.

"Scorpion!" Smoke yelled only to be met with the familiar pale yellow tint in his eyes.

"We're packing up and getting ready to move out. You all better be ready in ten minutes. No need to wash, you only have so much in your canteens so get dressed, put your hoods and masks on, pick up your guns and let's go."

The other three were ready in five minutes,they checked their weapons, their attire and felt the blazing morning sun as they stepped outside, the skyline of Saigon very clear and dark against the tangerine sky. Helicopters piled in, tanks rolled on their tracks and infantry jumped off of trucks and Jeeps. The war was about to get a whole lot hotter.

"MORTAR FIRE!" an unknown voice shrieked.

Men panicked as Scorpion ordered the Mortals to run towards the encampment, they ran with hundreds of clearly curious men, their sights drifting over to the colourful crew that was sprinting alongside them.

'Who are they?'

'Special forces?'

'South Vietnamese?'

Many questions were hypothetically asked, Smoke could feel the Viet Cong presence as well, D-Day wasn't the only battle that started with a blind run. Two gun emplacements sprang up, North Vietnamese hands grasped the heavy machine guns, muzzle flashes exploding ahead, only to end up with bloodied corpses and wounded on the receiving end. Disappearing into a cloud, Smoke rushed forward and boiled one of the opposing gunners inside out. Scorpion sent an unrequited nod towards Reptile, himself becoming a traveller of the wind and appearing next to the second firing Vietcong soldier. Gutting him with his knife, the Yellow Yank tore upwards in a horrific fashion, the gore visible from five hundred yards away. Smoke kicked a shoddy exit door off its hinges, Scorpion throwing a soldier through his own exit and impaling him with his spear. Smoke became invisible again and moved elsewhere, Scorpion preferred to wait for his men to arrive.

Sub Zero noticed Reptile was still alongside him, "Why don't you just turn invisible?"

"Why would I want to do that? This is a full frontal operation. No holds barred. Besides, what if a stray round from one of those guns hit some ground that I happened to be running across? I'd rather be a distraction than an accidental target."

Sub Zero admitted that Reptile's logic, whilst unorthodox, was noble, the two of them panting on the last stretch.

"Man!" Reptile exclaimed, "I love this weather!"

"There's no time for your strange conversation, now follow me," Scorpion demanded, Sub Zero unenthusiastically following the order.

Much of Cu Chi had civilians running and screaming in terror at the violence that now surrounded them. Smoke stood, rifle in hand, helmet on hooded head, in a small, secluded hut where an old couple had committed suicide together, an old Chinese pistol in the old man's hand. Smoke clenched and ground his teeth together, upset for their sacrifice but he secretly knew it was for the best. People had done similar things, back home in Czechoslovakia, to avoid the Nazis. Cu Chi was a collection of people, villages scattered near Saigon, along the river, if the army ran in, they might be falling into a trap but it was too late.

"Look out! They're coming out of the gr-" a soldier fell dead as the sub-machine gun fire pattered across his body, a Viet Cong soldier rising from a hole in the earth. Similar hiding places opened as Vietnamese poured left right and centre, the village evacuated and unassuming. The Americans had taken care of some scattered resistance on their way, but Smoke could only do so much until Scorpion arrived.

Slicing from tree to tree, Scorpion killed four snipers that had taken their position in the brush. Reptile ran into the compound half a mile from Smoke's village with Sub Zero, the two joined by Scorpion for an assault on the enemy that the army didn't even know about. Reptile took on one man and bit his throat out, four more men surrounding the cold blooded beast, failing to attack him, Reptile ducked low, hitting two men in their lower body before leaping into the air and kicking the last two. Sub Zero froze the men to the ground and left them as they slowly died within their new coffins. Scorpion cleared out the tiny bunker, a single officer left on his scared lonesome, after seeing Scorpion shoot one of his men, pierce the other to the wall and behead his most trusted lieutenant, the middle aged fellow went down swiftly, much to Scorpion's chagrin. The other two Mortals joined him and scanned over the tables for an answer to their sudden surprise when a voice dictated to them, startling the three to remain in place.

"Weapons down, now!" came the voice again, as the four mysterious, and seemingly American people trained their sights on the Mortals.

Holding their hands up, Scorpion whispered in hushed tones to get Reptile's attention, "When they come over, I'll break the smallest guy's neck, and you two kill the woman and the one with the headband. We'll all take the big one together. Got it?"

Reptile nodded, Sub Zero didn't react as the four moved towards them, guns still drawn, as soon as the smallest man came near Scorpion he realised something. He was wearing a purple mask.

"Reptile...don't!"

It was too late, Reptile lunged at the woman before she swung her leg high, connecting with Reptile's body and swinging him over her and into one of the tables. Scorpion rushed forward only to be held by the biggest member. He didn't argue or fight back.

"He'll be fine," the towering man said deeply.

"I tried to warn him," Scorpion replied eventually watching Reptile dust himself off.

The leanest man held his hand out for Scorpion, "Come rain come shine."

"Come dusk or dawn," Scorpion replied, shaking his hand, finishing the code word.

"I'm Rain, and we, if you hadn't guessed, are the Grims."

"We finally get to meet you then. I'm Scorpion, leader of the Mortals, this is Sub Zero and the green man you smashed through a table is Reptile."

Rain looked puzzled, "Isn't there another member?"

"Smoke is...away. He disappeared from sight but he'll be back."

The purple masked one nodded, his hood strangely absent, his cropped, dark brown hair slicked back in typical sixties style, he sat on the chair closest and pointed towards his team members, "The lady is called Frost, I believe she will want to have a little chat with Sub Zero sometime soon. The headband over there is Chameleon and the big guy is Tremor."

"You seem to know a lot about us but we know little about you. What are your powers?" Sub Zero piped up.

"Frost, as her name implies, can do pretty much what you do, freeze things, make objects and look sparkly if she needs to."

"Why does her hair look like an ice cream?" Sub Zero asked.

Frost interrupted, "You can ask me y'know. It's a side effect of the treatment."

Rain continued, "Chameleon can camouflage himself."

"Is that it?" Reptile spat, seemingly offended by the emerald masked man.

"No. Show him headband," Rain ordered.

Chameleon slowly slid over to the dead Vietnamese officer and touched his cold cheek, transforming from a translucent skinned soldier into the officer before speaking in Vietnamese. Reverting to and fro.

"Can he speak fluently?" Scorpion asked.

"Not as himself, but when he touches somebodies skin, dead or living, he can take on their appearance and all of their abilities whilst retaining his sense of self."

"Sounds handy," Reptile muttered.

Rain carried on, "He does, however, gain their weaknesses so it does have its downfalls. Chameleon, anything the matter with that guy?"

"He had lung cancer, but he didn't know it," the quiet man replied.

"See?"

Scorpion was secretly impressed so far, "What about you big man? What can you bring to the table?" He stared at Tremor who answered by punching the ground, a mini earthquake soon began, pencils falling off tables, the lone light above swinging wildly.

"That's only a taster," dead-panned Tremor.

"What about you then?" Sub Zero questioned the man in purple.

"I can control the weather and intersperse my own body with it ."

Sub Zero snickered and Reptile stifled a laugh, Scorpion's first impression had now deteriorated, "That's it?"

"You might think I'm a joke but seeing as I could flood this entire area with a tidal wave you'd be surprised at how quickly people stop laughing. The Korean War was nice for honing my abilities but this is where the real fight is. This is a war."

"We agree to disagree," Scorpion said, folding his arms.

"Oh?"

"This war is not noble, there is no pride in killing enemies that surrender to you based on scientific enhancements."

"Not all of them do that though."

"No, but show them you can conjure fire from pure will and your own hands and they will polish your boots until you can see them mirrored in them."

Rain smirked, "You must have fun putting on a magic show for the locals."

"Demonstrating your strengths to enforce is what is needed here. The less scum there is, the better."

"Are you implying you kill those that surrender to you?"

"Those are our orders. Soldiers are soldiers, they still have killing the enemy on their minds."

"Interesting. Anyway, we must leave, taking the Iron Triangle is not your battle."

Scorpion stared Rain in the face, "My orders haven't changed, this is our fight, not yours rookie."

Rain laughed once more, his perfectly coiffed hair bounced in time with his amusement, "We are not rookies, old man," Scorpion simply grinned under his mask, "The Grims are an equal task force, we have powers, we are ordered by the same man and government, plus our orders were to go to Kowloon."

"Hong Kong?" Sub Zero mused, "Why?"

"Stryker wants us to meet with a gangster that can provide us with information on the soviets super soldier project."

"Oh yeah...I almost forgot about that production scheme..." Reptile expressed.

Scorpion strode to the door, "If we go there, we need to find Smoke before hand. He won't be far away."

"That's fine, our orders are to go with all of you, including your missing colleague. We'll head off towards the villages east from here."

As the Mortals and Grims took the path towards the numerous villages dotted outside of Saigon, Frost and Sub Zero held back from the others, remembering what Rain had said to them.

"So...Frost, is it? Yeah. Why did Rain want to us to talk?"

"Because, Kuai Liang, I am your cousin.

Sub Zero's eyes widened in disbelief, "Li Xiu? I thought I recognised your voice!"

"Yes. It's good to see you again. It's been a long time."

"You were so young when you went to Korea...how old were you?"

"Seventeen. A lot has changed in over a decade," she held her head high, fixated on her cousin.

"Did you hear about Bi-Han?"

Frost gazed at the six ahead of them, "Yes. A most unfortunate tragedy."

The empty village greeted the eight super soldiers, each of them casting sights on huts, the single farm and dead cattle. Not a body, not a trace.

Rain crouched down and noticed a splash of red on a reed, "Soldiers have been here."

Little did they know, ten Viet Cong guerillas were sneaking up on them, guns held low, they prepared to take the shot before a speeding hiss of steam boiled the men. The two teams turned and held their weapons up to see Smoke stood there, sweating profusely.

"Smoke?" Sub Zero shouted.

"Get down, it's a trap!"

Covered dug outs burst open, Viet Cong guerillas firing wildly at the intruders. Frost froze the ground ahead of a running shooter, he slipped and fell, chest first, on to an oxen horn that protruded from the rotting bovine. Chameleon dived behind a hut, shooting back, and killing one of the gunners. Taking cover, he altered his shape into the officer Scorpion had killed and ran behind the huts, flanking the men and biding his time before startling a camouflaged guerilla who asked him what to do in hurried Vietnamese, Chameleon responded by strangling him in the body of the officer. Tremor threw a fireball at two of the hiding Vietnamese, setting them alight before hoisting a loose and heavy metal panel that was used as a crude bridge, throwing it through a huts roof, crushing the two offenders inside. Rain then got his chance to shine, the Mortals still taking down who they could. Transforming into water, he sped towards the last gunner, altering his shape and speed dramatically and slicing the gunner in two, separating torso and legs. A single man ran for his life whom Scorpion impaled and dragged back, watching as Rain held his hand high, summoning a lightning bolt which almost immediately set the pleading Viet Cong alight with flame, a charred skeleton was left after ten seconds.

"Wow..." Smoke mustered, stunned as conflicting emotions washed over him. _Was that too much? Could they have not shot the man instead of torturing him?_ The grey masked one simply stayed silent, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Scorpion was definitely impressed, intriguing thoughts fluttered about in his mind before Reptile broke his train of thought.

"Say Rain...what was the name of that gangster we're going to see?"

"They call him Shao Khan."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**Hello! I hope everybody had a great New Year and what not, and once again I apologise for my late posting of this chapter because I am useless. After the last chapter I didn't really know how to introduce the Grims effectively, they needed to be intimidating to the Mortals as if they had only heard myths and legends about a similar, but just as powerful group of super soldiers. Next chapter WILL be up soon. Thanks for any feedback/reviews and I'll see you soon.**


	15. Factions

**Factions**

_Kowloon: 12th January, 2100 hours approx._

Heavy rain pattered down on the tin roofs in the Kowloon slums, the meeting with Shao Kahn, a criminal that dealt in weaponry, and, allegedly, had information regarding a rival, soviet super soldier program. The full moon shone brightly, covered only by the sparsest of clouds, there was little breeze to be felt, the only wind came from their own velocity as they jumped over on to concrete buildings, puddles that had formed on them splashed over and possibly drenched a cat, or a passer-by.

"Not much further to go," Rain called back to the seven team mates that followed, their exhaustion was evident of the lengths they had to travel from.

"This is taking forever..." Reptile complained to Sub Zero, Scorpion giving frustrated glances back at both of them.

Scorpion could taste the water dripping down his mask and into the tight air holes at the forefront, it tasted odd, not clean as such, more bitter; he would have taken it as a bad omen if he believed in such superstitions.

"Across this next roof and down the ladder, okay?"

Rain flicked about with agility, his complex motions guiding him across somewhat akin to Ermac, which Reptile and Scorpion took with a grain of salt. They reached the ladder, each of them sliding down, their legs and feet akimbo, parallel to their hands. Men with AK-47's stood idle, each of them staring at the western creations before them. The Mortals and the Grims scanned the immediate area, it was part outside and part in, huge coverings dwarfed the building they stood on, protecting them from rain, and, from any attention. It poured down even heavier, wind began to blow the coverings above, the pins they were attached with seemingly about to fly off the taller buildings. At the core of the area, large, metallic gun crates, sprayed green with Russian lettering created a 'throne room,' where about five or six people stood around a seated man, his face was shadowed but the teams guessed who it was. Rain silently volunteered to walk over, talking with two guards and waving the rest of the squad over.

"Mr Kahn?" Rain questioned.

"You're late," Kahn's voice was deep and unrelenting, as if it forced you to sit down and listen to his every word. His accent sounded like a combination of English and American, as if he had only just touched down in China.

"We're very sorry...our intel was a little...off."

The figure was much bigger than they anticipated, he was foreboding, yet they could only see the back of his head as he walked and stared at the wall of crates. He almost turned before changing his mind, his appearance was obviously important to him.

"You seek the truth. The truth about the Russians and their capabilities. No?"

"That's right," Rain replied.

The towering man sighed, "Your colleagues all exhibit these 'super powers,' is that right?"

"Yes sir," Rain replied once more, Scorpion becoming impatient.

The people stood around him all gazed at the squad with their coloured masks and camouflaged attire, it was peculiar to most of them that they were separated as individuals. A bald man, held his hands behind his back, a pair of sunglasses covered his face, he put on a wool hat once Reptile noticed him. Another man, with dark, short hair and a beard, stacked rifles into one of the crates, he was Caucasian, wearing a tight fitting black t-shirt and combat boots and trousers, as if he was a soldier himself. Two beautiful women, presumably his favourite prostitutes, stood silently in blue and purple gowns, it seemed to the squad that they were sisters, possibly twins. The last person had walked away once the teams converged and had since returned, he was clearly the most striking of the party, his paler than pale off-white skin highlighted that he was probably, an experimental super soldier himself.

Shao Kahn held his right hand up, "Kano; the blueprints."

The bearded man turned to face the teams at last, they all saw the other side of his face, bright silver steel with a dark red bulb inside where his right eye should have been, it switched on automatically, flickering brighter until it stayed still.

"Now then boys and girls," the artificial man spoke in a jarring Australian accent, "My name's Kano, and 'eres the plan you requested."

Rain couldn't turn away from the man's face and Scorpion grabbed the blueprint under his nose, saying, "You should get that eye checked out."

Kano immediately turned his attention to the mustard masked leader, Scorpion was unflinching and the Aussie began to laugh, "You've got balls, ain't ya?"

"More than you have tin man," Scorpion stated bluntly, Kano laughed again.

Shao Kahn faced them, his face covered by darkness again as the weather played a soft tune over their heads, "Enter through the most north-eastern point of the Ural Mountains, the range there is overlooking the base, once you arrive at the facility, follow these blueprints to find their project, the Russians have been using it since the 1940's as a testing area..."

Sub Zero followed on, "Excuse me, where are these mountains?"

"As I said, they're in the Soviet Union. Where else?"

Sub Zero stepped back, "Woah...erm, we weren't told this. This is a huge risk."

Shao Kahn straightened himself up, "That's why your government sent you. You're supposed to be the best."

"Speaking of which," Scorpion began, "What are you getting out of this?"

"A hefty cash sum and immunity. What's it to you?" Shao Kahn growled, Scorpion had to admit to himself that he felt intimidated.

"I simply ask because I want you to know if that a high risk job like this is worth us doing this deal. What if we say no to your blueprints and find the base ourselves?"

"If you roamed around Russian countryside blindly, you'd be dead, with or without your...abilities. Plus, I think twenty millions dollars and my immunity is a small price for the security of your precious country."

Scorpion could feel his blood boil, "It's not just our country I'm worried about. I'm worried about yours too. This mission could come down to us winning, them winning, or nuclear war and a big pile of dust floating in space, and I'm betting on the last one."

Shao Kahn sat himself a couple of crates, "Trust me. This is the place. You see my employee here?" He pointed towards the pale man, "He was given a second chance by the Soviet Union in that base, nearing death towards the end of the second world war, they gave him powers beyond his wildest dreams. He can conjure the dead and drop them alive. A modern day sorcerer if you will. They brought him back to help others."

The pale man spoke, "Every day I was closer to dying, the Russians found me crawling away from a village, a Japanese group had ambushed me on a classified operation. They helped me up, gave me food and water before taking me to a hospital miles away. They injected me and I became like this...they told me that the drug given to me interrupted the alteration of my body and so, I became a medicine man of the highest calibre. A doctor of life and death. I spent the next twenty years becoming accustomed to my surroundings, learning languages and studying until I managed to find my way out. Twenty years in the same room can play hell on a man's psyche...I thank them every moment I breathe but I still don't know how, or why they saved me."

"Doctor Quan Chi is usually much shyer than this, your presence must have awakened his mind somehow," Shao Kahn motionlessly said. "This man here is also a work of the Russians, Mr. Baraka."

The man with the wool hat reached his arm around to reveal a large scar, it was the entire length of his forearm and looked bone-deep and slowly, a slate coloured piece of metal or cartilage sliced through the partially healed wound, revealing a blade. The Grims and Mortals were both fixated and sickened, who would alter a man so much? The pain was clearly high, he tried to keep his mouth closed only to bare large, sharpened teeth.

Baraka's boss stepped near him as he retracted the opposing blade, blood dripping fresh from his lacerated skin and muscle. "As barbaric as it is brilliant. Baraka is a sheer master class in physical alteration...and yet, he is basically a prototype."

"Jesus..." Tremor whispered to himself. Frost placed a cool hand on his statuesque shoulder.

"I know you can prevent such injustice from occurring again. Vietnam is the least of your worries," Shao Kahn grinned, showing himself in the moon's light, he was middle aged and was strikingly handsome, slicked, black hair covered his head, his bright white teeth and expensive suit sent home the message that he was connected, wealthy and powerful.

"What about those two?" Reptile asked, breaking a minutes silence.

"Huh?"

"The two girls up there, are they altered?"

"No," Shao Kahn said gutturally. "They're my bodyguards. Kitana, Mileena, come here for a moment."

The two women stepped graciously, long legs and svelte figures drew the attention of the men nearby, Scorpion preferring to focus on the documentation he had been given.

"Sir?" The woman in purple uttered.

"Mileena, can you kill those two over by the ledge?" he said, pointing to a couple of his gang.

"Yes sir."

They all watched as the two men realised suddenly that their backs and stomachs wouldn't be much use to them, falling from the roof to the slummed streets below, sai stuck in their bodies.

"Kitana...no need for more people to die," Shao Kahn turned to the group, "She uses the same methods and has the same training, using militarised fans as weaponry."

An loud shout in Mandarin was directed towards the businessman, he called back in the same language, switching to English when he had finished.

"Pleasure meeting you all, but I'm afraid I have a car to ride in and a plane to catch. I look forward to our next encounter, as you will inevitably succeed. Goodnight."

With those parting words, Shao Kahn's bodyguards stood at his sides, Kitana raising an umbrella to cover him as he walked towards the roofs exit. The Mortals and the Grims said their goodbyes to Shao Kahn's entourage and left the way they came. The city streets enamoured their eyes and nostrils, the eight of them taking their masks and hoods off to blend better within the crowds of Kowloon. People still watched as a stubble headed Scorpion walked ahead, the shoulder length locks of Sub Zero and the grey haired Smoke strutted near him. Reptile kept his mask on, for fear of shocking any passer-by that got a good eyeful of his greening skin and yellow irises. The Grims were just as brazen seeking, Rain was undoubtedly American, slightly scuffed hair, a strong jawline with stubble painting him as a soldier. Frosts wore the mask however it was to cover her near baby blue hair, the frozen nature of it strange to even her colleagues, whilst Chameleon covered as much of his skin as possible. Probably the most inconspicuous was Tremor, his nearly seven foot frame, coupled with his huge arms and chest made him a walking target.

"Where's the hotel?" Tremor questioned, his every move glared at.

"Not far now buddy," Rain replied.

Frost caught up with her cousin, idle chattering commencing between the two whilst Reptile talked with Smoke.

"You think this place is real?"

Smoke turned to the lizard, "What?"

"The Russian place, do you think it exists, or do you think this Shao Kahn is taking us for a ride?"

Smoke contemplated his answer, "I'm not sure Eli; he's charming, polite and well spoken but he's a hardened criminal. You saw how he had two of his own murdered just to show us what his bodyguards could do. What's to say he won't do that to us? On the other hand, for twenty million...if he gives us the wrong information, he'll be killed by our government. It's a double edged sword for him."

"I want to believe him. If we can stop their program, we can destroy that place, we can stop any more people being in pain. That...Baraka, he was in pain. I wouldn't wish that amount of torture on anyone, not even Ermac if he were alive."

"Rain!" Smoke called, "When do we leave?"

Rain turned back, a newly lit cigarette dangled from his lips, "Tomorrow."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**Hello! I am a terrible planner! Next chapter. Here. A few days at the most. THAT is a promise written in stone. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, but next, the Mortals head into the Russian wilderness with their new compatriots, the Grims. I haven't abandoned Vietnam; the next two chapters are a crucial part of the plot, so hopefully that will answer some questions and provoke new ones. Thanks again!**

**Mr Havik – I am but a humble guest in your reviewing home. Thank you.**

**Retro and vintage – Thank you ever so much for reading and enjoying so far. Sorry about Ermac, but I always planned on him being the 'big and nasty German super weapon.' I love the guy, so I'm not hating! Civilians are to be featured more in later chapters, and not in the way they usually would be. **


	16. Communists

**Communists**

_Somewhere over the Ural Mountains, South of target building: January 13th 1967, 0500 Hours Approx._

"You can just feel the cold run over your skin, it's freezing!" Tremor shouted, his voice almost overpowered by the din of gale force winds blowing around the aircraft.

Their pilot, a Chinese-American undercover agent managed to sneak the eight super-humans on board, fabricating a story to his Chinese over-watchers to make taking the plane 'for a ride' seem more believable.

"This is perfect weather!" Sub Zero yelled back, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Not particularly," replied an uncomfortable Reptile.

Scorpion sat three seats away from the rest of them, carefully taking his weapon apart, the suppressor on the pistol locked on tighter and tighter every reset. He coughed, drawing Smoke's attention but he waved a hand to signal his status. He glanced briefly at the others, each of them in all white camouflage, perfect against the untouched Russian snow; white hoods and masks, no insignia or country markings emblazoned on them. This was a stealth mission, a piece of fortuitous information that would lead them to see for themselves what the Soviet Union had in store for them, that was, if nuclear war didn't stop everybody killing each other over ideology and politics. It sickened the battle hardened leader and yet, he wanted to spit at the thought of anybody other than himself taking his place in a world not true. He wouldn't die, not just yet, he had too many thoughts, too much work to do.

"Smoke," the leader called, "How much further?"

The usually grey clad second in command ran to the cockpit, in all white it could have been anybody running forward, such was their anonymity. Obviously he could tell who was Tremor and who was Frost and of course, Reptile, with a large, tail like bulge peaking from his lower back. Scorpion smiled to himself, suddenly remembering his smiling wife and daughter, killed in cold blood. He would never forgive the newest Sub Zero's older brother, and despite besting him, Scorpion did not feel cured of any insanity, any ailment which made him angry. He felt no redemption in killing his former number two and wasn't sure whether he ever would.

"Thirty seconds he says. Time to saddle up I think," Smoke answered, returning to his original position. Scorpion nodded and stood to address the others.

"Right everybody," the group all turned to face him, "This is a sneaking mission, we do this quietly, in and out, nobody, except the enemy, gets killed. Got that? There could still be experiments going on in this facility but we won't know until we break in. We go in, take some pictures and destroy the place. However, if anybody gets shot, injured, or breaks a bone and cannot continue, we will have to leave you. That is the last thing on our minds though, because we will stop them without any faults or failures and be back done. Everyone clear?"

The rest of the team said in unison, "Sir!"

Scorpion nodded at Chameleon who stood near the cargo planes exit lever, "Let's do this."

Blistering wind blurred visions and thinned blood as the rear to the plane opened high over the Ural Mountains, their drop off was immediately under way.

"Go! Go! GO!" Rain ordered, each member ran out of the plane one by one, Sub Zero first, followed by Frost and Smoke. Reptile and Chameleon dived after them, Tremor carrying a supply case that held C4 charges and an M60 light machine gun, jumped out, his enormous strength bending the plane door.

"After you," Rain stated.

Scorpion stared into Rain's eyes and nodded, jumping out of the enormous aircraft and following his team mates. Rain soon followed. Parachutes greeted his fall, one by one exploding quietly in the tumultuous blizzard. All was peaceful for what appeared to be forever and a day until the sharp and rude pull of the cord brought him back to reality. They landed safely, mere feet from one another before the storm died down, a deep blue sky coupled with the mountains created a wonderful sight. They were not far from a ridge overlooking the compound, each of them standing to view the building that needed to be destroyed. Two large silos full of fuel, a main building connected with tunnels to smaller buildings and a lone helipad, sans helicopter. Even Sub Zero and Frost felt chills down their spines, the place was hidden perfectly, nestled in a massive hole on top of hole, in a rural area. It was eerie, strange and deadly quiet.

"Binoculars," Rain asked Tremor, scratching the silence. He was handed a pair of heavy duty oculars by the gigantic man. "I can see two guards, they...they're in front of the...uh..." he pulled out the blueprints, "Terminal area."

"Two guards?" Frost quizzed, "Are you sure this is the right compound?"

Rain shrugged and pointed to the accuracy of the blueprints and compared them to the base before them.

"Well...shit." Frost crouched down and took the binoculars to have another scan.

Scorpion focused strongly on the fuel silos, conjuring up ideas with each new item he came across. He eventually patted Reptile on the shoulder and muttered to him. Reptile agreed and became invisible, his footprints tearing the white covering beneath him. Rain and the others were too fixated on the compound to notice that he had gone.

"If we enter from here, they'll see us. We should walk around this ridge to the other side and attack from there," Frost said.

"That's gotta be a mile away, his hole is huge! By the time we get there, a camera or something will have picked up on us," Sub Zero said as he held up a gloved hand, flicking it away from his body.

Chameleon, to everybody's surprise, interrupted, "I agree, I think we should enter from here if we can."

"I'm gonna go with Chameleon on this one, I might be strong, but carrying this over a distance will only slow us down," Tremor placed the supply case down and opened it, revealing the M60 and the C4, he then collapsed it into a much smaller case that contained the essentials. Rain grabbed each piece of C4 and handed one to each member, giving Scorpion his piece last.

"Where's Reptile?" Rain asked the seemingly ignorant Yellow Yank.

"He's down there, taking care of our problem."

"What?" Rain was bewildered, grabbing the binoculars once more, just in time to see Reptile appear hanging on a catwalk that led to the main entrance, the chasm far underneath. The terminal building was in the centre, one of the guards heading to use the bathroom. As the latter guard stopped to urinate over the side of the ramp, Reptile grabbed, and subsequently threw him down below. He disappeared from sight again, and Rain found himself overlooking the buildings for any sign of him. As soon as he spotted Reptile appear again behind the now alerted guard, just as soon, he watched the lizard man snap the remaining troopers neck.

Sub Zero saw Reptile throw the man into the chasm, exclaiming, "Oh yeah. I forgot he could become invisible."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Rain mouthed audibly, Scorpion homing in to answer that question.

"Because I thought of it first, rookie."

The leader of the Mortals laughed heartily to himself, Rain rebutting, "You could have sent me to do that, or yourself. Why him? We could have done it faster."

Scorpion's eyes shifted in the hoods slot, "Yes, but think about it. If either of us had gone to do that, flames would have erupted out of the ground it I had, and if you had, water would have burst upwards. Doing that might have killed one of them, but the other one would have been a hell of a lot quicker to react. Shooting, plus well armed Russian guard equals a dead American agent, or an alarm going off. Both results would have us knee deep in World War Three, so keep your mind on the mission and think before you act."

Rain was startled by the Mortal's dressing down, he respected Scorpion, as much as it pained him to admit it, but he stopped speaking and walked to the ridges edge to join his fellow operatives as Tremor pulled out a drill. He got on his stomach and peered over the edge of the hole, drilling three holes when he found the thick concrete wall that lined the well hidden complex. Sub Zero handed him hooks and rope, the giant putting it all together so they could rappel on to the catwalk. Tremor went first to check the safety, the rope pulled tightly as he lowered his weight down but it held. Sub Zero and Smoke followed, then Chameleon and Frost. Scorpion latched the equipment on himself, Rain standing idly by.

"You not coming?" Scorpion asked.

Rain pondered his answer, "Mm...maybe."

"Suit yourself," Scorpion said as he lowered himself. Rain soon followed.

Reptile unveiled himself as he saw his team mates arrive, "It has some sort of device connected to the door. I can't budge it...not to mention that it's about a good foot thick."

Chameleon studied the device carefully and then put his face near it, a red light flashed violently yet nothing happened. There were no signs in Russian but that didn't matter when a voice came from nowhere.

"_Dostup zapreshchen."_

"Reptile? Care to enlighten us?" Smoke inquired.

Reptile thought for a moment, "I think it said...access denied, or no access. One or the other. It reacted when Chameleon put his face to it though."

"Their faces must be used to gain entry," Chameleon declared, tapping a translucent finger on the machine.

"High tech equipment then. I've never known anything like it," Smoke replied.

Rain stood near the device, "That's because you need to get with the times. This is the twentieth century. Anything is possible now."

"But for how much longer?" Scorpion solicited. "Chameleon, do you think you can use anything from those two? Get some fingerprints off the door? Or the railing? Does it have to be the bodies themselves?"

Thinking, Chameleon outwardly realised he could not without the bodies.

"No."

"Christ," Scorpion paced back along the catwalk trying to find clues until he returned empty handed. "Reptile, why did you throw them down there? Otherwise we might as well call this a bust."

"Can you not just transport yourself in there?" Reptile began, his tone becoming angry.

"It's not that simple. I might not appear on the other side of the door, I could end up on the other side of the compound."

Reptile got closer to his leader, "Who knows...you might be able to kill some more people. That's the way you like it, isn't it, BOSS?"

Scorpion felt the fury build inside of him, he knew deep down that it wasn't Reptile's fault but instead he said nothing, even he couldn't harm a brother in arms.

"Get the C4," Scorpion said weakly, "Unless we can find a vent, which I very much doubt, we've run out of viable options."

Tremor grabbed his piece of plastic explosive and Scorpion gave him his piece, they stood on the catwalk, ready for anything to go wrong. The detonation rocked through the empty cavern, native birds and wildlife cried out in distress yet no alarm was raised.

"Do...you think they're waiting for us instead?" Sub Zero asked.

"If they think spec ops are here, they would have alerted the entire base," Rain answered.

The eight of them tread across the steel bridge, the C4 had worked and with their weapons raised they noticed the reception area was still. Not a single paper had been moved as the dust shone in the beams of sunlight.

"Check that calendar behind the desk," Scorpion ordered Sub Zero.

"1957."

"Dead end. Shao Kahn played us for fools," Smoke said.

"Keep searching," Scorpion ordered again, raising his pistol. "Rain, go with Sub Zero and check east from here, I'll head west with Frost. Smoke, go with Tremor to the north wing with Chameleon and Reptile. Got it? Weapons raised and eyes focused?"

The others tapped the side of their weapons to agree and moved out in their pairs.

_ East Wing – Mess Hall_

"I got a bad feeling about this place Rain..." Sub Zero raised his gun to most of the noises he heard in his paranoia.

"Calm down, if there's be nothing here, we'll have to kill Shao Kahn as punishment for not realising he was two faced earlier."

_Ting-ching-ta-ting_

"You hear that?" Sub Zero asked, "Sounds like it's coming from the freezer."

"It'll be a rat. Don't worry, if there were people here, we would know about it."

Rain scoured the tables for any clues, old sheets of paper in Russian and Mandarin. It was almost as if anyone who had been here left at the same time. Sub Zero scoured the freezer and unzipped his white coat, freeing his arms and vested torso.

"Feels good..." he uttered to himself. Soon noticing a decidedly non-rat like presence with him. "Hello?" he spoke loudly, hoping it was just a rat.

Rain sat on the benches and flicked through the sheets, attempting to understand some of it. All he could decipher was that scientists were using the facility as a step into alternative fuel. He then heard loud clattering, coming from the freezer area, watching as Sub Zero was thrown through a wall, landing next to him in a pile of rubble.

"That's definitely no rat..." Sub Zero managed to push out of his lungs.

_ West wing – Patient Containment Area_

Frost scoured the rooms, each of them padded with single beds and charts for each patient, the rooms were spotless, with only a few scuffed and scraped. Scorpion kept his pistol raised, expecting resistance to ambush them. His mind drifted to the the military institute in Nevada, it was similar, but it was brighter and felt more like a mental health hospital than a breeding ground for super soldiers and their scientists.

"You found anything yet?" he called to Frost.

"Not yet, it's empty, but I think I found Quan Chi's old room," she shouted back.

"How do you know it's his?"

"Take a look for yourself."

Scorpion stepped to the room Frost claimed was the modern day shaman's, writing covered the walls, Chinese, English, Russian and Japanese characters floated amongst each other, numbers and dates spread alongside them. If it was his former holding cell, he was telling the truth.

"The last date is 1964. He only escaped a few years ago," Frost mused.

"Do you think he risked it all to escape?" Scorpion asked, running his palm over the lettering.

"It starts from 1957," she observed.

"He said he was here for twenty years but that calender stopped in '57. Why stay another seven years if they left this place then?"

"Maybe he couldn't escape?"

"Maybe," Scorpion left the room and kept searching, coming across a few chambers with the doors missing. "These rooms have no doors but look the same as the rest, they don't look like living quarters for the doctors."

A loud bang erupted, the silence was interrupted violently as a large figure was thrown from the end of the room and the silhouette that had caused the explosion was a familiar face to Scorpion.

"Raiden?"

_ North Wing – Labs_

Reptile and Chameleon walked ahead, their pistols holstered as Smoke and Tremor kept pace behind them. They hadn't uttered a single word once they had left the main group, the laboratories kept their attention, glass cylinders, tables and chairs were scattered all over their respective rooms. Blackboards were covered in chalk scribblings as well as hanging off by their hinges, catastrophe had struck some time since.

_Bam_

"Reptile, Chameleon," Smoke started, "Weapons ready. Tremor, you good?"

The four of them upholstered their guns, Tremor's large M60 notwithstanding. Each member walked carefully, the industrial nature of the labs proving to be guiding their adjustments, each dim corridor fuelling their imaginations before they saw it. The creature, or man, they could see had just stepped ahead of them; a man's torso, head and arms, curving black horns from it's head, and four horse, or bull-like legs. The creature was enormous, it must have been eight feet plus on it's hind legs. Each of them froze and watched it as it watched them.

"Is that a...minotaur?" Smoke questioned in awe.

That was when it charged.

"Run!"

The creature growled and became a battering ram, it's high speed forcing them to roll, jump or dive away. Tremor kept out of it's way as long as he could, punching it in the muscled gut once he got the chance. The horse-man cried out in pain, turning it's attention towards the operative who caused it the most pain, it stepped up towards Tremor, kicking it's hooves up at him, connecting with his head. He tried to shake it off but couldn't avoid the kicks until Smoke steamed through it, hoping to kill it in one, but it seemed to do nothing but anger the beast more.

"Shit!" Tremor shouted, punching the tiled floor in desperation, a shock wave erupted and bucked the beast from it's standing, Reptile proceeding to jump and bite the human part with venomous fangs. The cold blooded man wrapped his scaling arms around the beasts neck, trying hard to cut off it's air supply – that is when he got a good view of it's eyes. Deep reds, the pupils fluctuating wildly, it's nose, flat and ape like, sharp incisors chomping wildly. Reptile didn't let go, he was on the most terrifying rodeo known to man.

"Keep biting Eli!" Smoke ordered, sifting into hot particles once again, moving through the creature's innards in an attempt to quell it. Chameleon fired his pistol, wounds emerging on the beast, it kept shrugging them off but that didn't stop him, he ran up to it's flailing hind legs and reached out, grabbing the right leg, it didn't take the translucent man long to be kicked head first into a wall. He didn't move, not even tremble.

"Reptile! Hold it there!" Tremor ran at the minotaur, his right shoulder in front, each footstep heavier and more powerful than the last until he felt the beast's chest take the brunt of the attack. Reptile was hurled away as the creature whipped through the air, colliding with a glass walled room, each shard shattered in slow motion, tinkling as if they were keys in a piano. The creature lay down in the pieces, razors in every limb. It tried getting up slowly, coughing and grunting in mutters, that was when Smoke saw another step behind the downed beast, a female, with four arms, she was just as tall as Tremor and he could see the unmitigated rage that lay behind her eyes.

_ East Wing – Mess Hall_

Sub Zero lay still, coughing to indicate he was still there, he couldn't lift his head just yet. He could hear Rain grunting, his movements, water speeding through the air, he was fighting whatever had attacked him. Ironically, Sub Zero felt frozen to the spot, his mind whirring but his body wouldn't react. Eventually, he lifted his heavy head up to see Rain dodging, ducking and weaving what looked like a tiger merged with a man. Four arms punched at Rain, the cat's hits were slow, but the punches would hurt, it's orange and black fur bristled with every attack. The usually purple clad Rain barely anticipated the tiger breathing fire at him, disappearing in a torrent of water with seconds to spare. Sub Zero managed to stand up, take a breath and watch Rain appear above their enemy feet first, crunching with it's head, only for it to grab his leg and toss him aside like a rag doll. Sub Zero created spikes and shot them across, puncturing the feline enough to make it's white torso bleed red. It ran towards him, faster than it punched Rain, Sub Zero put up a shield, the ice protecting him as the tiger wailed down on the protection, cracking it until he opened it's mouth, yellow teeth soon covered by white-hot flames, melting Sub Zero's construct around him.

"Rain!"

The leader of the Grims fired his pistol, scarring the tiger's back, as it turned it's attention back to Sub Zero.

"Get out of there!" Rain shouted, firing the rest of his rounds until the familiar click of an empty weapon resonated in him. He altered his form, becoming a plume of water, speeding fast enough to cut the right arms off the tiger-man. It shrieked in pain, a deep and echoing cry of agony familiar to any human. Rain and Sub Zero realised, this creation, was indeed a Russian attempt at a super soldier.

"Wh-what do we do?" Sub Zero asked as their counterpart bled on the ground, wheezing in hopelessness.

"Kill it."

"Be quick about it though," Sub Zero aimed his pistol at the kneeling super soldier, soon discovering another trait of the tiger. Russian words were spoken in muffles until it finally managed to speak to the two Americans.

"P-p-please end this suffering...I beg of you..."

Both Sub Zero and Rain gazed at one another, then back to the Russian accented soldier, Rain finally saying, "You can talk?"

"Yes...but there is no time...I am healthy in mind a-and sanity...my comrades were not so lucky...end me here..."

Sub Zero lowered the pistol, gasping as the tiger snatched the gun out of his hand, swiftly putting it in his mouth and blowing a pea sized hole through his head.

"Holy shit, Rain...we have to find the others."

_ West wing – Patient Containment Area_

"You know that guy?" Frost asked in bewilderment, Scorpion ignored her and walked towards the man who had helped the Mortals over twenty years ago. A blue glow emanated around him, small bolts of lightning propelling him from the ground.

"Scorpion, it's been a while hasn't it?" his voice seemed unearthly, almost ethereal and god-like.

"What are you doing here?"

"Helping you."

Scorpion was offended by the comment, "Why are you like this? Like...like us?"

"I will explain soon. Let's just take care of him first," Raiden pointed at the quad-armed, pony tailed beast before them, it's clothes were ripped to shreds and it had just gotten up from Raiden's attack. "Let's end him quick."

Frost fired projectiles faster than the speed of sound, hitting the enormous creation in it's patterned back. It flinched, allowing Scorpion to teleport from under it's chin, the sound of cracking confirming a large smack for the Yellow Yank. Raiden reeled off with some bolts, only to have them hazily blocked by the uncaring foe, it swatted at Scorpion as Frost dashed quickly into it's hardened body, a lower arm grabbing her by the neck but mercifully, throwing her towards a cell door. Scorpion launched the spear, clutching it by it's throat, it choked and rasped vulgarly, blood seeping through the mark. Raiden conjured a bolt to shatter the roof, electrocuting the enemy until the smell of flesh reeked into their nostrils. Frost iced over the body, completely covering it, allowing Scorpion to shatter it with a well placed kick.

"Nice work out," Scorpion turned to face Raiden, "So, continue."

Raiden stopped hovering, landing in a black uniform, it was looser than normal army requirements and allowed his arms to move freely underneath the clothing, he still wore a beret, "After the war, I told my superiors that you were indeed, remarkable. The government gave me a choice, live the rest of my life as a normal man, or, undergo treatment that might possibly kill me. I chose the second option, and now I can create and command lightning and thunder. Not bad, eh?"

Before Scorpion could speak, Frost talked to her commander, "How do you know him?"

"I gave him and his team information on German garrisons and encampments in France," Raiden answered, "We only met the once afterwards though – for a pint after the war ended."

The woman understood, but kept her eyes on Raiden, Scorpion continued, "That's all well and good, but how did you know we would be here?"

"It's quite simple really, I've been watching Shao Kahn for a while now, covert mission, etcetera, etcetera, when I saw you bounding over rooftops in Kowloon. Always the showman, eh Scorpion?"

Scorpion smirked under his mask, "I like to keep things...agile."

"Don't we all!"

"Excuse me gentleman..." Frost started, but can we get back to the matter at hand? These super soldiers?"

Raiden once again answered her, "Ah yes, you see, it's simple, these people...or rather, former people, have been trapped here for over twenty years, the last seven of those, all alone."

"How do you know that?" Scorpion asked.

"I scanned some of the records, what basic Russian I do know ended up with me finding a recording in a desk – a scientist here was frantically talking about how one of the test subjects had escaped and let the others run free. He was cut off violently."

"Jesus...but what about the two guards outside?" Scorpion felt his patience leaving him, he wanted answers, fast.

"I'm guessing they were watching over the base, Russian special ops must have cleared the place and left those two to watch over. Fat chance they would have been able to deal with any of the inmates."

"We have to get to the rest of the team," Scorpion said sternly, reacting as whitened concrete collapsed, two left fists battering the wall down.

The feminine experiment threw a downed Sub Zero and Reptile adjacent, their clothing ripped and tattered. Rain traded blows with her four arms, kicks and punches, water splashing off her hands as she blocked each movement. He ducked as Smoke leapt through her, siphoning against her organs, boiling them in a split second.

"Get back!" Rain called to Scorpion, Frost and their acquaintance, the female coughing up blood, attempting to shrug it off. Reptile lifted a hand up to show he was okay, Sub Zero grunted and Tremor knocked down his own entrance, having been injured by the minotaur-type being, he weakly patted the floor, still conjuring a minute earthquake which tripped the similarly pony tailed woman, forcing her to break her right leg in the confusion. This allowed Smoke to pass within her once more, their weakened opponent painfully snapping the leg again. Her stomach burst, the ensuing gore not a pretty site as they stopped for the moment, coughing and catching their collective breath. It proved to be a little too late as the minotaur re-appeared through the passage, the team preparing for another fight.

"Come on then..." Rain said, exhausted, "We haven't got anything better to do."

The creature seemed to laugh, it's skin shifting uncomfortably as the figure of Chameleon took form before them. The rest of the team sighed and relaxed once more.

"You scared the shit out of us!" Rain screamed at the shape-shifter, "Couldn't you have done that earlier?"

Chameleon rubbed the side of his head, "That thing was much more complicated to take in, I've absorbed people many times." Rain looked in befuddlement and scanned around the room to view the other members.

"Oh and Scorpion...can I just ask," he said indignantly, "Why didn't you use your talents to help?"

Scorpion pulled his, now dirtied mask up, and stated, "You looked like you had it covered, Rain."

Rain shook his head and then zoomed on Raiden, "Who are you?"

"Raiden."

"Raiden, eh? That's all you give me?"

The Englishman glanced at the flustered man, "That's my name and I came to help."

"Great job on that one!" Rain exclaimed sarcastically forcing Scorpion to walk towards him.

"Listen you jumped up prick, it's done. We all did our part and killed these things, it might not have been the right thing to do, but it's done. They were insane, as you would be if you were trapped here for over twenty years. Shut up and let's go home. Tremor, hand me the radio, we'll call the plane to pick us up."

Tremor grabbed the radio off his belt, the supply case long gone. Scorpion adjusted the dials and caught a signal from the plane.

"Come in, this is Zero Team, we have cleared the base of hostile forces and are ready to go home, over."

"_Zero Team, I have orders to get you as soon as you take photographs of the downed enemies and all files from the head office and then finish the rest of your assigned mission. I cannot comply until you do so, over and out."_

The radio cut out, and Scorpion was furious, "What the hell is Stryker doing? We came here to destroy this place, take pictures of the labs and be done with it. They said no more of this cloak and dagger bull, why should we take their notes?"

"He'll want it just to keep the info out of their hands, it's no bother to us. It'll take ten minutes max to do the job – stick the rest of the explosives on those silos outside; bang, boom, done," Rain explained to the veteran.

"I still don't like it."

Scorpion, Raiden and Rain headed upstairs to the head office whilst the rest of the team stayed and took pictures of the bodies and chalkboards with the hidden camera from the supply case. The bodies of the Russian super soldiers were cold and still, their eyes were glazed over, or rolled into the back of their heads, yet despite this, they were once human, which they made sure to remember. The head office had been left pristine, the files were simple enough to take, a hard knock on the side of the cabinets made some drawers open without a key.

"So...we give these the pilot, he takes them back home and we go...where, exactly?" Rain asked, pulling his hood off.

Scorpion flicked through the files and checked over them uninterested, finally replying to his co-captain, "We go and have a word with Quan Chi, I want to know what happened here. Shao Kahn no doubt has dirt on him, why else would a man that powerful work for a criminal?"

"Money? Power?" Raiden piped up.

"There's more to this than meets the eye."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**WELL this is the biggest update in a while, plus I managed to do it in the three days I wanted to do it in. Next chapter, we head back to Kowloon then to Shao Kahn's manor. I should hopefully have it up next week. Thanks for reading/reviewing/following. See you soon!**

**Mr Havik – I wanted to explain Quan Chi in more detail, but I just couldn't come up with anything! I will make an effort though. Baraka was fun to describe, I wanted him to be a more sympathetic character than he is usually portrayed, thus feeling pain as a result of slicing his arms open with his own altered bones. It's not a pretty thought! Mileena, which I didn't explain, is not yet deformed, or, to put it in context with this story, a super human just yet. She will also be present later in the story, so don't be nervous in that respect! I have made a rough plan of events that occur, with the character quirks between, and you are right (again), this is all part of a bigger plan. Thanks for the questions as always!**


	17. Royalty

**Royalty**

Explosive charges detonated on the fuel silos across the hidden facility, the intoxicating smell of petroleum and fire could be smelt on the plane as all eight members sat down and took a breather. Shao Kahn had yet to hear the news, but he had given his word, he had given them a soviet super soldier facility. The plane drifted through the black plumes, heading back to Kowloon. Their pilot was quiet throughout the journey, only giving barely audible cues back to command. It didn't matter to Scorpion anyhow, they had proven that they could stop other powerful creations, like himself, and done it well, albeit unprepared. None of them spoke.

"Drop off in five minutes!" the pilot shouted back to them, waking Reptile and Frost.

Scorpion stood, checked his inventory, and motionlessly waited for the door to collapse open.

The HALO jump had gone efficiently, everybody landed together, but not without a hint of melancholy. Shao Kahn's camouflaged hideaway greeted them, with only a handful of guards and a dark haired man rifling through papers, his back to the group.

"Excuse me," Scorpion began, "We're here to see Shao Kahn."

The man sniffed before inhaling deeply, his long hair tied into a ponytail, Scorpion smirked under his mask in secret confidence, before suddenly looking upon the man's face for the first time.

"Isn't everybody?" The man had a wispy moustache and beard, they were dark, with a few stray white hairs, his face was worn and his clothing was traditionally Chinese – a robe type garment. "Name?"

"It doesn't matter to you," Scorpion snarled, his patience had been thin since they left Russia.

"I am Shao Kahn's assistant, so yes, it does matter to me outsider."

Scorpion felt his hands tighten, the others simply stood and watched, "Tell him Scorpion is here to see him."

"Scorpion eh?" The man raised his thin eyebrows, "You really do have a sting in your tail. Shao Kahn is in the United Kingdom at the moment."

"He left already?" Smoke asked, bemused.

"Yes. He told me you were coming, and he wants to invite you to see him there personally. He has already arranged flights."

Scorpion stood closer to the middle aged Chinaman, "We don't have time to go back and forth all over the world."

"Well then...that is your own decision, the wrong decision nonetheless, but yours to make. Are your friends so blind as to follow you?"

Scorpion looked at the others, their faces were worn, his fellow Mortals faces in particular. Rain stepped forward and whispered something to Tremor, causing the giant to lumber over to Scorpion.

"What?" Scorpion sniped.

"Rain said we should go, no more playing around. No arguing."

The leader shook his head, "Fine."

Shao Kahn's assistant slyly grinned, "Now that we have cleared that up, Shao Kahn shall be waiting for you. Our pilot will fly you in personally."

_Outskirts of Rex Manor, Oxford, United Kingdom – 1200 Hours_

Two Rolls Royce had picked the eight of them up, their uniforms still tattered and dirty, scars stung as the fresh air of the outlying countryside breezed into open wounds and bristled faces. The chauffeurs had been silent the entire way, judging to nobody but himself. Eight Americans were ruining the leather of both cars, the stench of sweat and mud was caked on to their skin, it tangled with the air. The drive itself had gone from a lone country road to being connected to a drive way that was covered by trees, sunlight glistened through the branches and shone on the bright sheen of the cars, it was a serene twenty minutes. The twisting route eventually revealed a large courtyard, white pebbled and perfect; a lone oak tree stood beside the large manor, its shadow cast over a garage filled with more vehicles, and at the front door stood the Chinese assistant of Shao Kahn.

"Welcome to Rex Manor, Shao Kahn's 'holiday cottage' if you will," came the eager welcome from the robed individual as they stepped out of the cars.

"Cottage? Looks like a palace to me," Reptile mused as his emerald eyes wandered over the architecture. "How many bathrooms have you got?"

The assistant ignored Reptile and opened the rouge double doors to a spotless hallway. Sub Zero and Smoke spoke in hushed tones, Frost and Tremor gazed at the various adornments as Rain and Scorpion led the pack. Chameleon walked down a separate hall, peering into a library filled with books. The soldiers were walking for what seemed like a blissful eternity until one of Shao Kahn's bodyguards bumped into Sub Zero, she was in a fashionable sky blue skirt but it wasn't the first thing he noticed about her. The woman's soft hands had clasped around his forearm and grabbed tightly, as if about to break it on first instinct.

"Excuse me," she said just as smoothly, her Chinese accent gripping him just as hard, "I apologise for my clumsiness."

"No need..." he replied effortlessly. He loved women. Their gracefulness, their natural beauty, their perfume, their hair. He loved sleeping with them more. He wanted her.

The assistant hurried the bodyguard away, and opened another set of doors to a wide balcony where Shao Kahn sat in a white suit, crisp white shirt and red tie, a pair of cream winklepickers with jet black soles completed the look, along with his equally jet black hair.

"Shang Tsung...get these people some drinks please." Shang Tsung bowed, his name finally revealed to the eight of them. "So...I trust you found the facility and disabled it?"

Rain nodded, "Yeah. We sure disabled it, and we took out four super soldiers."

"Four?" Kahn was surprised, "Quan Chi was certain there would be only one alive."

"Why one?" Smoke asked.

Shao Kahn took took out a cigar from his pocket, it had been wrapped and sealed by hand, "Because...he tried to kill them before he escaped."

They were shocked but they had found his room in the facility. Kahn lit the cigar with a swift hand staring pensively at them.

"But how come they were fine? They didn't look starved or...injured when they attacked us," Rain queried.

"Regenerative abilities, just like your own...Not to mention they've had a few years to get better."

"That doesn't explain the starvation, we still need to eat," Frost explained.

"Of course, but did you ever wonder where the strike team went?"

"Strike team?" she asked.

Kahn blew out smoke, "That place went into lock down as soon as it had been compromised by the individuals inside, they weren't going to let that dirty little secret get out."

"They ate or stored the bodies...that explains that...tiger...thing standing in the freezer," Rain realised, before Scorpion added to the conversation.

"We were fresh meat, and they had gone insane – feral, even."

"Exactly," Kahn agreed as Shang Tsung laid a tray of lagers in front of them, passing them a separate pint. "Thank you, Shang," Shao Kahn watched as he traced his steps from the balcony.

"What's the deal with him?" Sub Zero questioned, his face contorted underneath his mask.

"Shang Tsung? Funny story really...he's immortal."

Their faces once again were intrigued, "Do tell," Scorpion said.

"He was the first super soldier, for lack of a better term. It was a complete accident on behalf the Chinese government, he was forced to consume a serum of some kind, one they believed would trick soldiers into giving them increased courage and strength, it was meant to be a placebo but it killed him."

"Yet he lived," Scorpion stated obviously as Reptile and Sub Zero debated what a placebo was.

"Yes. He doesn't remember details obviously, but he woke up in a river below a waterfall, and next to decaying corpses. He thinks that they believed it had failed and decided to get rid of the evidence, namely him. Besides, who would miss a lowly peasant? Or at least, that's what they thought. Money is a great motivator for anybody, more so for the impoverished."

"Fascinating..." Rain mumbled.

"He discovered he was immortal when a few hours of walking led him to finding a lone farm, the resident stabbed him with a knife out of terror and once again, he woke up miles away, further into the forest, presumably carried, and left there."

They chatted amongst themselves in amazement, "So why does he work for you?" Scorpion asked almost aggressively.

Shao Kahn puffed on his cigar again and his scarred face stared at Scorpion, "He said he owes me a debt. Giving him a place to stay, food, a job, he just wants a quiet life."

"So, he wants a quiet life but he works for the biggest arms dealer in the world?" Scorpion pressed.

Kahn threw the cigar over the balcony, raising his hand and slicking his hair back, "I put him in no danger, he stays out of the violent side and he arranges appointments, legitimate or otherwise." Scorpion scowled at him.

"Now, about my money and immunity..."

_Nevada – 0500 Hours_

"Colonel, Kahn is hosting the Mortals and Grims as we speak, they're okay and putting the deal through," Kabal coldly announced.

"Send him his god-damned money, and clear him for immunity status...For now at least," Stryker coughed as the cigar smoke went down the wrong way, "Cheap fuckin' things...if I aren't sick of this god-damn place..." he coughed again.

"Sir, I'm patching Rain through on the radio."

"Good, send it through," Stryker sat down near the receiver. "Rain? What's happening?"

"_Our meeting went through fine, Kahn thanked us and is jetting us back to Vietnam."_

"Roger that, did you get any information on him? Any dirt we can use against him?"

"_Possibly...he has a few of his own super soldiers, each of them soviet made. A medic, some guy with blades in his arms and his assistant is immortal. Not to mention an Australian with robotic implants and two highly trained female bodyguards."_

"We can arrest him for that, we'll have to wait but we can take him in as an international criminal after we decide his 'immunity' no longer applies. In the mean time, keep pushing against the Viet Cong and get any intelligence on positions, POW encampments and, if you're lucky, some more information on super soldiers."

"Got it sir, Rain out."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**WELL, haven't those two months flown by? I am incredibly sorry for those reading this story that have felt neglected. My laptop, (which had five more completed chapters of this story) decided to break, so I lost all of my work. The thought of typing all of it out again made me feel exhausted so I felt the need to take a break as my laptop was fixed, but now I feel as though I can regroup, rewrite and continue this. This is a short 'interlude' type chapter but I needed to get something back out there so here you go! The real crux of the story is coming soon, I promise, questions will be answered. P.S. I have to say I am intrigued about these 'Fan Fic Book Covers', I may have to create and upload one!  
><strong>

**Mr Havik – As always, you are awesome. I am glad you enjoy this story and there is more to come about Scorpion's family, Sub Zero's past, Quan Chi's past, Smoke's personal life, Shao Kahn's intentions, Mileena's transformation and even Stryker! I just need to do it in a coherent way, and, hopefully, tie it all together. Thanks as always!**

**CaTigeReptile - Thanks for reading and reviewing. I wasn't sure if merging Mortal Kombat and 'real world' would come together, but I hope you enjoy what's to come!**


	18. Revelations

**Revelations**

_Undisclosed US Special Forces Base, just south of the North Vietnamese border, January 14th 1973, 2300 Hours_

"We're gonna die man, I tell you, this is not good. This is fucking INSANE. As soon as the Jeeps drop us off, boom! I am not joking, they will kill us all. I seen 'em do it...My old squad, they were sniped from the trees, I was the last one left and this slant eyed bastard, just comes up behind me..." the corporal gestured, hands and arms at ninety degrees, clenching his fists, "He wraps a rope around my neck, but just before I pass out...I see my lady from back home. She's there, one hand to her mouth, 'Shh,' she says, 'It'll be okay.' That's when I woke up and turn it back on him; I grabbed my knife, dug it into his side, and shoot him with his pistol. That's heroism, son."

Smoke blinked a few times, digesting the corporal's story, "That's quite a tale," the Czech said, "But we'll be fine, we won't die. Also, I'm pretty sure I'm older than you."

"You don't look a day over twenty five!" the corporal replied, "I wanna believe you son, I really do, but what I've seen...it'll turn your hair white."

"I think it already has," Smoke ran his hand through the tiny bristles of hair on his head. He walked from the mess hall to his quarters and sat on his bed. The din behind the closed door and the walls seemed to fade as he pulled his backpack from the floor, he lifted it on to his knees, and pulled out a picture of his wife. It had been crumpled in the bag, but that reminded him of how he felt dedicated to her, how deeply in love he was, and with that, a few tears were shed, then he sobbed and attempted to keep his wails to himself. The pressure of this war was crushing his mind; his will to keep fighting. Was it really worth the trouble? It had been six years since any of the Mortals or Grims had seen other another super soldier, soviet, or otherwise, apart from occasional briefings with Raiden.

"When will this end?" Smoke spluttered into his hands.

Scorpion opened the door and noticed how disturbed his second in command was, "I...I didn't realise you were in here. I was...I was just going to bed."

Smoke rubbed his eyes and replied, "Don't worry, you can. I-I'm just feeling...shaken up. Nerves, as always."

"You'll see her again."

"I hope so."

Scorpion sat down next to him, the bed nearly breaking under their weak supports, "I'm not very good at this, you know that...but you can talk to me about it. I can't have you crying over spilt milk."

Smoke itched his heavily bristled neck, "It's not spilt milk, it's not only the thought of going back in a coffin; it's the killing. We do it, nobody talks about it, is it normal? Is it just a boring work chore? Are we all just hired killers? Murderers for the greater good?"

Scorpion's dark eyes flickered with a minuscule flame, the familiar yellow highlighting his irises, "We've shot, stabbed, beat, maimed, tortured and strangled people to death for over thirty years and you still get guilty?"

"YES. Oddly enough I do," Smoke calmed his mild temper.

"I have nobody, this is a job for me. I don't know when we'll die...or if we'll die. I've looked in the prime of my life way longer than any man should and you know what? I'm tired of it. I want to retire, but my body is fit and energetic, it won't let me quit. I don't complain about it, so why should you?"

Smoke didn't want to make eye contact, he shifted his gaze to anywhere apart from his squad leader, "Everybody bottles everything up. I think that is unhealthy."

"Talk to Sub Zero, isn't he your friend?"

Smoke chuckled, "Yeah. Yeah he is, but he's not Bi-Han."

Scorpion felt his stomach clench, the name making him furious, "No. No, he's not."

"Did you ever think it was out of the ordinary that he...y'know...killed them?"

Scorpion clasped his hands together, "The thought did cross my mind. Why would he do it, what were the reasons? I have resigned myself to just believing it was jealousy, it seemed easier that way."

"Maybe."

The two of them slept soundly, Reptile and Sub Zero crawled into their own beds in the early hours, having been to a brothel, they were too tired to keep drinking.

_ Nevada_

"Can we keep this war going?" General Stryker asked Kabal, the scientist typing in his office.

"I doubt it...Nixon is adamant that the treaty go through tomorrow. Mass withdrawal of troops will go ahead as planned, the war, for the US, will be over."

"God-damn plans will got to shit..."

Kabal turned in his seat, "Sir, with all due respect, I don't think we can do it. Super soldiers take a long time to train, adapt and build on their powers...we can't rush them into mass production. They're people, not cars."

Stryker stared straight into the ageing scientist's eyes, "Are you trying to be funny? It was your idea in the first place! You're NOTHING. You are a fuckin' roach on my shoe, you piece of shit."

"B-bu...sir!"

Stryker grabbed him by the neck, his grip tightening every second, "If you worked harder on getting the drugs, serum...whatever, ready, we would be knee deep in government contracts and grants. Despite this, you feel the need to invent gadgets and useless equipment that wouldn't even pass the prototype stage. Do I make myself clear?" He let go.

"Ye-yes..." Kabal gasped for breath.

Stryker grabbed schematics from the desk, "What the hell is this thing anyway? Some kind of sadist gear? It's immoral. Get rid of it."

"It's an advanced gas mask..." he rubbed his reddened throat, "Designed to adjust and fit anybody...man, woman or child..."

"Huh. Well, like I said, it's some faggot shit. Get it out of my face," Stryker snorted some phlegm and spat it on the linoleum flooring before walking out, "Clean that up."

Kabal cursed under his breath, they were the only two in the admin part of the facility, others floated in and out of the place, either for temporary experimentation or as punishment. Stryker ruled with an iron fist, and little got away from his attention. Kabal, however, was lucky, despite the outbursts, Stryker seemed to trust him. The disturbed scientist snatched up his papers and rushed to the bathroom, light seeped in like sick dripping down a bucket. The walls were a metallic blue-grey, the iciness of the area seemingly designed to make people feel uncomfortable, Kabal felt the effects of it as he locked himself inside a stall. He scribbled on a blank canvas, his knee providing insecure support for his ink; his glasses fell repeatedly off of his slender nose as he wrote frantically, wrathfully. When he was finished, he stood up slowly and read it back to himself, once, twice and a third time and nodded to himself. This one sheet of paper would change everything.

_ Somewhere over East Germany, January 15th 1973, 1700 Hours Approx._

"I can't believe it's finally over," Sub Zero repeated for the third time over their plane journey, his hands fidgeting excitedly. "Almost ten years in that godforsaken country."

Smoke turned towards him, "It's not over yet, those people are still fighting for their freedom. We just got out of the way."

"Yeah, well, maybe it's for the best. The world hates Americans."

"With good reason sometimes..." Smoke replied.

Reptile picked food out of his sharp teeth, Chameleon simply watched, silently.

"Something I can help you with?" Reptile asked the enigmatic figure nervously.

"I am...intrigued by your mutation. Did you expect to become a reptilian man?"

The man once known as Eli Cash put a well groomed fingernail to his bottom lip and looked upward, before coming back to face Chameleon, "No. To be honest, I thought I was gonna turn into Superman. That's why I signed up."

The quiet man coughed, suddenly finding himself slightly stunted as Reptile continued, "Did you always expect to become a man made out of Jell-O?"

Chameleon ignored him.

Rain eyed Scorpion and Sub Zero, then turned towards Tremor and gave him a small smile, patting him on his leg before standing up and checking a few crates in the back of the plane. Frost adjusted her mask a few times, eventually choosing to take it off, her crystalline hair shone brightly, but that was overshadowed by a scar crossing her mouth. Sub Zero directed himself towards her, noticing it, however, he said nothing. The journey home was to be a long one.

A good fifteen minutes passed, nobody had so much as uttered a word, until the co-pilot – the man who had helped them escape Russia – came and greeted Scorpion with an envelope.

"For you," said the Chinese American. Scorpion stared at the man for a few seconds, before taking the paper from him.

_'Scorpion. I have written this letter to you as I believe you deserve to know the truth. Back in 1944, days before your team went to fight in the D-Day invasions, your family was attacked and, ultimately, murdered.'_

Scorpion felt the familiar fire burn inside of him.

_'Stryker told you that he kept it a secret from you because he believed you would have been unable to take such a burden, that is untrue, he intended to use it to his advantage, to make you a better soldier. Bi-Han, the former Sub Zero, did not kill your family as you were led to believe, instead, your wife and child were shot by an agent as part of a training exercise and used as a deal in giving said agent, super soldier enhancement.'_

Scorpion grew angrier.

_'The general has no particular need for 'the Mortals' in his plans any longer. He sees you as outdated, overly egotistical, wastes of space. I don't believe this should be the case, but he will eventually want rid of you all. I had some suspicion towards our newest recruits, but it turns out they were all sent on similar missions to the agent before they became enhanced.'_

Everybody was watching Scorpion as he read the letter, his hands were shaking violently.

_'I cannot keep the truth from you any longer.'_

"Scorpion?" Smoke said nervously.

_'Rain was the agent that shot your wife and child. I'm so sorry. From a friend.'_

Scorpion jumped at Rain hands first, he ripped the violet mask off, digging into his cheeks as he attempted to rip his face off. Chameleon and Reptile tried in vain to pull the Yellow Yank off of the co-leader as he punched the younger man furiously in his mouth.

"GET OFF OF ME."

"Scorpion! Stop it, you'll kill him!" Frost pleaded.

He didn't stop hitting him until Tremor grabbed him around the neck and threw him to the end of the plane. Rain coughed harshly, his face was bleeding heavily, with bruises around his eyes and, now broken, nose. Scorpion immediately got up and charged towards the usually well groomed man, Chameleon sweeping his legs with a well placed kick, flooring him once again.

"Tie him up!" Rain spat, his wounds beginning to heal.

Smoke, Reptile and Sub Zero held Scorpion back, his ferocity hard to chain down as he swung empty strikes and punches. His eyes burned a deep seated amber as he tried to tell his team that he was doing the right thing.

"Let go! He killed my wife! He destroyed my family!"

Rain stared straight at him, knowing that the Mortals had loosened their grip on their leader. Smoke uttered in Scorpion's ear, "Is this true?"

"It's true," Rain interrupted, "I followed my orders, like you always made sure to remind me."

"You bastard! I'll rip your heart out!" Scorpion screamed, the grip on him loosened ever more as his squad realised they'd be doing everybody a service.

"Open the door, Tremor, It's becoming a little too hot in here." Tremor did as he was told, walking past the four veterans quickly, ultimately pushing on a lever to release the emergency precautions. The back of the plane opened to the German sky, a familiar, if ruinous place, for the four of them.

"Let me go!" Scorpion shouted, his fellow squad members obeyed and let him run at Rain. His counterpart was prepared now, and fully healed. A sudden blast of high pressured water shot out of Rain's palms, slamming Scorpion into the roof. Sub Zero conjured ice from the roof and projected it vertically, hoping to hit Rain. Frost, surprisingly, stopped the ice and froze Sub Zero to the spot instead.

"I'm sorry..." she mouthed as she froze his entire body from head to toe.

Scorpion attempted to get up, but was met by another blast of water that fired him into his two remaining men, and on to the edge of the plane.

"Hurt those two," Rain ordered Tremor and Chameleon as he sauntered to the rear of the aircraft. Scorpion held on tightly, his strength depleted, his mind exhausted. "Just give up," Rain callously muttered.

"No..." came the weakened voice of the Mortals leader.

"Fair enough," replied Rain, kicking Scorpion's face with his boot, forcing him to fall through the clouds.

"NO!" Smoke yelled. Reptile stayed silent as the two of them were tied and gagged, beaten by Tremor until they didn't want to move voluntarily.

"Now that your pest has finally been dealt with, just listen up, Stryker has placed me in charge of this particular special ops unit from now on. I didn't think it would be this soon, but it was inevitable..."

"You ruined his life..." Smoke interrupted, Tremor slamming his head into metal as punishment.

"I made his life BETTER. He would have never become so powerful if it wasn't for them dying. Even Reptile would have been more powerful!"

The lizard man spat a tiny bit of toxicity to the ground, Rain continued, "I am your leader now, so listen to me, or be terminated. It would be too easy to dispatch you, but I persuaded the general to let you live."

"How kind..." Reptile muttered, suddenly feeling the earthquake-like force of Tremor's foot. Frost sat still, not knowing where to look as Rain and Chameleon wandered over to their captives and waited for the journey to Nevada to be over.

_Nevada – 1800 Hours Approx._

The orange hue settled over the runway as the plane descended over the desert, the old military complex greeted the remaining soldiers as they stepped off the cargo plane, willingly, or forcefully. General Stryker greeted them in an army Jeep, closely followed by a truck which Smoke, Reptile and the frozen block that contained Sub Zero, were bundled into. Rain and Frost went with the general, Tremor and Chameleon sat with the prisoners and they rode the half mile to the base, Stryker eagerly asking questions and grinning non-stop. Tumble weed skittered back and forth in the light breeze, vultures flew overhead and MP's with rifles, stood on the entrance, welcomed the returning guests home. Tremor went in last, his hulking frame barely managing to make it through the door. In Stryker's office stood Kabal timidly, making sure to pour a glass of whisky for the general.

"God help me, you've done a brilliant job. Shame about Scorpion, but he was a lost cause anyway," Stryker laughed and Smoke struck out at him, Chameleon held him back.

"You destroyed him!" Reptile shouted. "I'll kill you!"

Stryker sipped on the brown liquor, tapped his lips together and chuckled, "Don't talk to your superior officer like that, you ugly piece of shit."

"I quit then!"

Stryker laughed again, "You can't quit. You're bound for life. Seeing as you all want to disobey, I leave you a choice; stay and fight on the front lines and assist your superiors..."

"To Hell with you!" Reptile exclaimed, prompting a disapproving look from Stryker, and a punch from Tremor.

"...or I will let you live whatever lives you have outside of here, untouched."

This piqued Smoke's interest, "What's the catch?"

The general lit a cigar and put out the match on his desk, "You tell nobody about this, you die with the secret of this experiment."

Reptile stared at Smoke, glancing back and forth at Stryker, "Smoke? Smoke, you're not seriously thinking about this are you? Are you?!"

"Wait a minute Reptile."

"Don't do it," the lizard man warned. Stryker sat inhaling greyish fumes, "He'll kill you anyway!"

Smoke didn't know where to look, what to say, or what to do. He was trapped between the offer of he had been waiting for, or staying with his friend.

"I-I...I don't know..." said the vice commander.

"I give you my word, I will let you live in peace," Smoke's lip trembled. Stryker continued, "All you have to do is keep quiet. If I wanted you dead, you would have been finished long before now. Scorpion was dangerous, you know that, and so does Reptile."

"You're unbelievable! How dare you talk about the man who led us to safety on so many god-damn occasions? You did nothing for us apart from give us orders. NOTHING," Reptile was battered repeatedly by Tremor once again, "Y-y-you..." He couldn't speak.

Stryker held his hand out to Smoke, "Shake my hand and you can live with your family again, no more wars, no more killing. Tell any newspaper, or reveal your abilities and we will cut your wife up in front of you, then cut you up."

Smoke endlessly gazed at the large hand before him, "Why?" he asked softly.

"Because I want to help."

"No," Smoke looked up, "I mean why did you have to kill Scorpion? He...he wasn't a danger."

Stryker sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "His power knew no bounds, he would have grown too thirsty, too angry for his own good. He had to be stopped prematurely, all of you fighting him together couldn't have ended him." Smoke was silent again. "Listen to your wife's voice inside your head. She wants you home. At least you have a home, unlike these two. One's a washed up old hick, the other, an adulterer who slept with his dead brother's fiancé whilst he was away fighting."

Smoke's eyes widened at that revelation, "What?"

"That's where we found him, deep inside Bi-Han's bedsheets. We recruited him there and then."

"Bi-Han..."

"Make your choice," Stryker waved his hand towards Reptile, Chameleon and Tremor lifted the near unconscious man by his arms.

"I want to go home..."

"Sm-Smoke..." Reptile whispered.

"I am tired of fighting these same battles, killing the same people for little benefit. I have seen no positives from ruining lives to save ours."

"D-don't lis-listen to him..." came the whisper again.

General Stryker stood up and shook Smoke's hand, "You have your life back Tomas. This concludes our business, this also concludes your business with the United States government. Thank you for your service. You shall receive a payment bonus for your hard work."

"...n-n-NO."

"I'm taking Sub Zero with me," Smoke demanded quietly.

"Very well, he too shall receive a payment bonus for his services. Brief him on what he needs to do."

"What about Reptile?"

Stryker glanced at their sole captive, "He shall be kept here, if he doesn't comply with our rules, he may be executed, or he could be experimented on further."

"I want to take him too."

"He doesn't want to follow my orders, he will only try and ruin our work."

"I...I understand."

Reptile hung from his arms in his cell, green blood dripped from his vastly mutated face as he was locked up. Smoke sat in a car with fresh clothes on, Sub Zero thawed next to him, still unaware as to what happened. He would be told within the next twenty four hours. Tomas Vrbada took his beret off and turned to the windows in the back of the motorcade, he could see the sun set over the Nevada horizon, the whole time thinking about the long journey to New York, his family and whether he had made the right choice.

Scorpion's body lay face down in mud in Eastern Germany, undiscovered.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**Thank you as always to all the people that follow/favourite/review this story. I didn't realise it had been two months since I updated, and for that, I sincerely apologise. I became very angry with myself as I had promised this chapter much, much sooner than the time it has actually taken me. I promise this story will be finished before the end of the year, but that will be no excuse for any future content that seems rushed. I am going to put my best efforts into this now. **

**Memmek10k – Thank you, you are too kind.**

**Mr. Havik – If, for any reason, you want to PM me, do it. I want you to push me, I am not abandoning this for anything. I would rather you be concerned and want to talk to me, than think I've left this. Quan Chi will definitely be developed further, but I hope this chapter has answered some questions for you. As always, thank you.**

**P.S. I made a simple book cover, the minimalist look felt right!**


	19. Angels

**Angels**

_Outworld Productions Studio Lot, Los Angeles, California, April 17th, 1977_

Late afternoon sun scorched the California playground of Los Angeles, as always, a new film was in production, filming was commencing, and directors were openly critical of their actors. Kuai-Liang (Kevin), the man formerly known as the second Sub Zero, sat back on a collapsible chair with his arms folded, his legs apart and yawning repeatedly as he watched the, soon to be world famous, Liu Kang, perform the same combination of punches and kicks on his fellow actors. Kevin watched him for a while, thinking he would have made a valuable asset in Vietnam before getting up, and wandering to the refreshments table. He chuckled at the thought of the young kid, leaping around and baffling the Viet Cong with his aerial manoeuvres as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Sitting down again, he basked in the sunshine, having become a little more accustomed to it since arriving in the Golden State. The director of the film, Jack Jarek, or 'JJ', had been to get a doughnut, and was now walking in Kevin's direction, addressing him as he approached.

"Hey, you. Stunt guy," said the director, too ignorantly for Kevin's tastes.

"Yes, film guy?" answered the now alert Sub Zero, to the, now shocked, Jarek. The director stroked the small tuft of hair on his chin, then his sideburns. His chocolatey hair stood on end as Sub Zero stared into his equally dark eyes, slightly frightened by the much larger man. Sub Zero thought he looked like a former beatnik, or a hippy.

"Don't shit your pants, what do you want?"

Jarek gulped in an almost cartoon fashion, then said, "I was wondering if you could give me some advice with this scene. It's almost perfect, as you would expect, but there's something lacking."

"...your intelligence..." Sub Zero muttered.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing."

"Okay," said Jarek rapidly, "What do you think I...we should do to spice this up a bit?"

Sub Zero read the screenplay, commenting on some aspects, "A swordfish head is used as a weapon by one of the henchman..." He kept reading, "Our hero destroys the kitchen by setting the leaking gas on fire..."

"Brilliant, isn't it? There's some-"

"No, it's just...awful," Sub Zero interrupted, "One minute it's a comedy, the next the noble hero blows up a restaurant in cold blood."

"It's a film of contradiction, of betrayal and changes," Jarek said, sighing.

"Look, get rid of the swordfish head, have one of them take a kitchen knife and run at him, then he can sweep his leg or something. Keep it realistic to some extent. These men are meant to be assassins and you have them use something as impractical as a fish head?"

Jarek snatched his script from Sub Zero's hands, "I am an artist!" Sub Zero stood up, towering over the director, "B-but w-what's your name anyway? I-I can be sure you can give me SOME pointers. You'll be my muse."

"I'm Kevin, Kevin Long. I told you this yesterday."

"Oh right, of course, well I look forward to working with you."

Sub Zero rubbed his icy eyes.

_Upper Manhattan, New York City, NY_

"Tom, the weather is beautiful! Come and have some lemonade," called Deborah Vrbada from the porch of their lovely new home. It was perfect for the man once known as Smoke, his powers had only been used to scare pigeons that nestled on their back door steps, probing for scraps of food. Tomas had only lived here for six months, his children had moved away a while ago, his eldest, Brian, was twenty five, married, and working at a bank in Michigan, whilst his youngest, Elizabeth, was twenty three, and settled down with a hard working fiancé. Despite the fact he was in his early sixties, his face didn't show it. He still appeared to be in his late twenties, but his silver hair usually distracted people from that fact. Meanwhile, he grew more worried about his wife, she was in her late fifties, and, unlike her husband, a regular person that would maybe need taking care of.

"I'll be right there!" he shouted back from his small greenhouse, taking the wooden box he was searching through and burying it under one of his tomato plants. Smoke walked over to his wife, giving her a kiss on the cheek before he sat down.

"What was that for?" she asked, grinning with a slight blush.

"For being there for me," he replied, smiling back at her. "I like retirement."

Deborah spun her head towards him, "You're always working in that greenhouse, some days I see you less than when you were in the Navy."

Smoke grimaced, he didn't want her to know about his life as a black ops agent, let alone a black ops agent that had super powers, "It keeps me busy. I'm sorry darling." Deborah lay her head on his muscular shoulder and they watched cars go by on their affluent street. Smoke could only think about the box he had kept out of sight for over thirty years.

_Nevada_

"Time for your dinner Eli," an elderly orderly said softly to the anaesthetised Reptile. He was wrapped in a straitjacket as he slowly trundled from his cell, his skin a pale green and covered in scales, he no longer had a human face as it was more lizard than man. The small tail that grew from his spine was now fully grown, a good five feet long, and lined with ridges. It stuck out of his clothing like a sore thumb.

"Dinner...sounds...good..." Reptile drooled, his reptilian eyelids slowly blinking one a a time. As he was ushered down the corridor by the old man, Kabal passed him, trying not to stare. He only did so as Reptile's back was turned, before making his way towards General Stryker's office. When the scientist got there, he pushed up his glasses and knocked twice.

"Enter," came the General's voice, more hushed than Kabal was used to, "Ah, just the man I wanted to see."

Kabal put down his notepad, "What did you want to see me about, sir?"

Stryker lit up a cigar and poured himself a scotch, "You know how old I was when I became a colonel?"

"I...I can't remember that far back sir, it's been a while."

"I was thirty one, which is an achievement."

Kabal looked to the ground, nervously, "Yes it is, sir."

Stryker drank some of his scotch and continued, "That was a couple of years before World War Two...then, when I was thirty nine, I was promoted to general, which, again, is a remarkable accomplishment." Kabal nodded in agreement. "I'm seventy years old, a five star general, yet not many people know my name, which I'm okay with..."

"Sir..."

"Shut up," Stryker drank the rest of his liquor and stood up, dropping his cigar in his ashtray, "I want more money, and the Grims can't really do anything about that with no war on. How can we rectify this?"

Kabal didn't know what to say, he just wanted rid of the life he was trapped within, "I think we should leave the army, respectfully, sir." He said finally.

"You're saying that I, a man in such a powerful position, should vacate my position in the military?"

"Y-yes."

"Get out of my office before I break your neck, you little worm."

With that, Kabal left the old general's office, leaving Kurt Stryker to drink.

_Rex Manor, Oxford_

Shao Kahn stood just before his balcony, watching the rain fall heavily on to his expansive gardens, the dark clouds huddling closely together overhead. Shang Tsung stood by an antique knight, his hands behind his back. Quan Chi was sat in front of his boss' desk, meditating to himself, as Kano juggled a knife in the silence, taking a sly peek at the beautiful bodyguards that waited outside the door.

"What a shame," Kahn muttered, "I would have believed the Mortals to have been more...useful in a situation such as that."

"I can see through the other members eyes, but not Scorpion's, I believe he is dead," Quan Chi solemnly stated, "They have all...moved on."

Shao Kahn cleared his throat, "What of the other group? The Grims?"

"They have taken their place, they exist only to follow orders."

"Could we use them?"

"I doubt it," Quan Chi replied. "The general, Stryker, has them under his control."

"I suppose we shall have to do this ourselves. Kano, get Baraka and try and contact Raiden, he might help us."

The bodyguard dressed in blue shyly tapped her employer on the shoulder, "Sir," she started, "What of Sub Zero?"

Kahn turned to the healer, "Quan Chi?"

"He is at ease with himself."

She smiled under her mask.

Rain pelted the landscape, the trees bustled in the wind, seemingly eager to ruin Shao Kahn's day. The arms business had been slow, but it was still there, Kahn liked to remind himself that despite the income shortages, there was still wars to be fought, and they would need guns. Skirmishes in South America, Africa and Eastern Europe kept his organisation flowing, even if he didn't have the added insurance of immunity, and the extra protection of the Mortals when he wanted it.

"Kitana," he started, "If anything happens to Sub Zero, promise you won't do anything idiotic."

The woman in blue paid attention suddenly, "Don't worry, I won't."

"Good."

_Los Angeles_

"Action!"

The restaurant fight scene Sub Zero had choreographed played out before him, Liu Kang, a young man from Hong Kong, walked on to the set as the cameras rolled, "Excuse me, could I find Uncle Wei here?"

The actress behind the counter said, "No, get out now!"

Suddenly, men barged on to the set, all going for the young actor. Sub Zero watched as he kicked, punched and countered the actors, albeit, set up for the film. The swordfish scene had been taken out, much to Jarek's chagrin, but Sub Zero let him have the restaurant blow up as a result of a henchman, rather than Liu Kang's character. That particular scene had the film crew clapping, as Jarek shouted, 'cut' and they finished for the day. Liu Kang decided against leaving straight away to discuss ideas with Sub Zero.

"Excuse me," Liu Kang politely said, "That was a brilliant re-imagining, I doubt JJ could have come up with that."

Sub Zero nodded, "Well, he wants perfection, I gave him perfection."

Liu Kang laughed, "Listen, I just want to thank you. I look forward to the next scene, maybe you can give him some more pointers." Sub Zero smiled and packed up his belongings, Liu Kang's long and dark shaggy hair fell into place as he took his crimson bandanna off. He wore a baggy white vest and black trousers, not wanting to change before he headed home. Sub Zero tracked the former Shaolin monk as he jogged to a car, another man sat inside with a large hat, yet that was all Kevin could make out.

_ Nevada, April 18th 1977_

Reptile was carefully placed in his padded cell, minus his straitjacket after eating breakfast. He sat on the soft flooring, picking at it with his, now blunt, claws. Blank intent showed in his oval pupils, he did it minute after minute. Somewhere in his head, the real Reptile was trying to escape, trying to find semblance of himself, trying to find the key to revenge.

"K-kill Stryker..." the drugged up Reptile managed to splutter, his claws digging into his knees now. "Kill...the-them all."

He was almost panicking, he wanted so desperately to be away from here, he wished he was back on the farm as a young boy again, but he didn't wish away his abilities. Despite the change his entire body had taken, Eli Cash had become accustomed to the lifestyle Reptile pushed him into; his diet, his grooming, his instincts, all made him feel incredibly lucky, regardless of the irredeemable situation surrounding him.

"D-don't know...how much longer...I can last..." Reptile almost thought he was sweating, when in actuality, he was secreting toxins from his body and foaming at the mouth. Little did he know, he was ridding his body of the anaesthetic.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>_**No Scorpion! How will we cope?! This chapter seemed easy enough in my head, but was difficult to write down. It raises more questions but hopefully gives some clue as to where I am going with this. Thanks as always for the reviews.**

**CaTigeReptile – The letter is the catalyst to answering the questions I have raised thus far, yes, but I agree that after I had written the chapter, it felt rushed, but this was not my intention. As for it being almost over, I have at least another ten chapters planned! Thank you as always.**

**Ann E. Casap – Thank you, it's always nice to have a new reader. I will be going back over this when I have finished, so thank you for pointing that out to me.**

**Mr. Havik – Yeah, I was a little underwhelmed myself when I read it back, but I was being a sloppy writer that day and published it, I will go back and sort it though. I can tell you it isn't going to end yet, as you said, it was paradoxical, but no, no ending for you just yet! You might have got some of the details in your theories completely correct, but as you know by now, I'll probably twist them up a little bit! Big thanks as always to you.**


	20. Dragons

**Dragons**

Doctor Kabal rushed into General Stryker's office, his mind chaotically figuring out must be done. The facility was on full alert, crimson alarms illuminated the various testing facilities and work labs, the technicians all unsure of the horror that had unleashed itself. Stryker was already stood with his back to the door, his workplace becoming little more than a circus in his eyes, he heard Kabal's rushed attempt at opening the door, knowing full well that it was locked from the inside.

"General!" The handle rattled violently, "Sir! Let me in! Please! We need you help!" His shouts did little to distract General Stryker, who felt the need to open up a fresh bottle of rum and drink from the neck. "Stryker, for Christ's sake, LET ME IN!"

Stryker smirked to himself, his bookshelves shaking as explosions boomed through his complex. He took another swig of the rum and sighed at the taste, ultimately deciding to throw to the floor.

"Cheap shit..." he muttered. The general could see the scientist's silhouette through the distorted glass in his door, both hands simultaneously working, one hitting the window, the other twisting the handle. "Come in," Stryker half heartedly whispered. He thought this day might come, and sooner was better than later in his case. Screams of soldiers and scientists alike were muffled through the thick walling, Stryker inwardly meditating as he walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" he questioned with a vitriolic grin.

"KABAL. OPEN UP!"

"You didn't say the magic word, son."

"Please!"

"Please what?" Stryker clasped a hand to his mouth as he laughed.

"PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR, WE'RE GETTING SLAUGHTERED OUT HERE!"

The slamming on the door was abruptly brought to an end as Stryker opened the door swiftly, a plume of smoke pouring into the room and a quickly floored Kabal.

"Are you insane?!" screamed the scientist at the general.

Stryker grabbed Kabal by his neck and lifted him from the floor, "What did I tell you about speaking to me disrespectfully?"

Kabal's glasses slipped down his nose, sweat dripped from his forehead as his throat was clasped by the general's large hand, "N-not t-to do...it..." Kabal struggled for breath.

"Good boy," Stryker dropped him. "Where is Cash right now?"

Kabal took a few deep breaths and pushed the frame of his glasses up, "He...he's in the experimental wing."

"What?! Tell me you have the serum or so help me GOD..."

"It's here..." Kabal interrupted, pulling out three small vials of violet liquid.

"Thank Christ," Stryker said exasperatedly, before he grabbed the vials off the weary scientist.

More explosions echoed through the base, the state of Nevada blissfully, and forever unaware of the chaos being caused at a government facility in the middle of a desert. Reptile was loose in the building, his senses heightened and back to normal, the sedatives having seeped away from his body. He crawled on the ceilings over machinery, the purpose of each device unknown to him. Soldiers rallied around one of the many dead staff members, their rifles primed and ready to shoot the genetically altered being they had heard hundreds of stories about.

"You think he's gonna spit acid on us? We'll be killed in ten seconds!" One nervous soldier asked his superior officer. The officer turned and shook his head, his right hand shaking quietly over his holster. Reptile dropped silently, landing in a crouched position. He stood and tapped the curious soldier on the arm, before expelling a copious amount of acid into the young man's face.

"Kabal, radio in the chopper will you? We're leaving now." Stryker grabbed his mink coat as Kabal hurried to a ham radio. The general watched as one of his men reached for a pistol and shot himself. Stryker cared only for his cause, anybody in the way was a hindrance. He opened his coat up and stared at the vials of liquid like a long lost lover.

"_Chopper incoming to your position, 'Baton'. We'll arrive ASAP. A strike team along with with Grim; codenamed Tremor en-route to assist. Over and out."_

"Tremor? We can't kill Reptile, we need him for tests!" Kabal pleaded, "He's unique!"

"We have Chameleon, he's similar. Besides, we have years to research this."

"But sir...all due respect, you're in your seventies."

Stryker abruptly walked over to his confidant, towering over the meek man, "You're no spring chicken yourself, but I have something that can fix that."

The sound of gunfire distracted Kabal from the questions in his mind.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Reptile ripped through the men in his way, his sharp hands carving through muscle and tissue. His mind was blinded by rage, "Where's Stryker?!" he bellowed across the room, his tail swinging and smashing across tables as he wandered the area. More soldiers poured into the room and raised their rifles, firing just a split second after Reptile camouflaged himself. Their ammo was spent on the scenery, each man grabbed at their belts for fresh magazines, one of whom felt a scaled hand wrapping itself around his mouth. The hostage muffled as the reacting soldiers were shot by his own weapon, his neck being snapped at its climax. The lizard man stretched his arms and his back, his senses picking up on a new trail. The trail of Kurtis Stryker.

_The Sheepdog, East End, London_

Burly cockneys played pool in the smoke filled den, the pub not at all welcoming to non-Londoners, let alone the gaggle of assorted alterations that stood in a nearby alleyway. Kano, Baraka and Quan Chi waited under the night sky, the shining moon creating shadows for them.

"What do you reckon? Go in and ask for for a jar and a smoke, then demand which one of them is Raiden?" Kano eloquently asked Quan Chi.

The medicine man itched his bald head, his pale skin the most visible in the darkness, he searched around with his eyes and said, "We need to find a way to clear them out without harming anybody."

Kano raised the one eyebrow he had, "You're jokin', right? As soon as we walk in, they'll punch first an' ask questions later."

In response, Baraka winced silently as he unsheathed the blades hidden in his forearms to a concerned stare from Quan Chi.

"Kano, I think you should go and search for clues," the Chinese native asked.

"Me? Why?"

Quan Chi glanced at Baraka, "Well, you're the most...'fitting' looking of us. Besides the fact that you're white, I'm basically an albino Asian and Baraka has been surgically altered to look like a demon."

Baraka didn't say anything, he simply stared at the floor and Quan Chi felt a pang of guilt over his Russian brethren.

"Fine. I'll do it, but I still have a slight scratch on the side of my face, in case you've forgotten," Kano stated, pointing to the implant in the place of his left eye.

"I have some bandages will have to make do – make something up if needs be."

With the 'plan' in motion, half of Kano's face bandaged, the Australian stepped into the pub, a few pairs of eyes turned at first, yet as soon as he made his way to the bar, all eyes were on him.

"Hi there, pint of whatever lager you have please," he asked politely. The barman, despite his unwavering stare, obliged and proceeded to pull the pint without a word. Kano scanned the area with his uncovered eye, discovering only the hardened faces that bore into him. The two large pool players walked over to him, both in suit jackets, they were easily over six foot three each, one of which had a large scar running from his left ear, just touching the bottom of his eyelid.

"Nasty accident, son?" The non-scarred one asked.

"Yeah, somebody thought it was funny to glass me the other day, the sods," Kano answered without hesitation.

The scarred man rested his hand on Kano's shoulder, "We ask because we've never seen you 'round 'ere is all. Wanted to make sure you weren't takin' the piss."

"I wouldn't dream of it mate."

"That's good then, because it's usually locals that step in this pub. They enjoy a quite drink, a nice stress reliever after work, no trouble happens 'ere."

The non-scarred of the two sauntered back over to the pool table and picked up a cue, before starting to slowly chalk it up, his eyes not leaving the suspicious looking Australian.

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm just waiting for a friend," Kano replied hurriedly.

The scarred man put his face closer to Kano's, he smelt like a combination of aftershave and pickled eggs. "Anybody we might know?"

"He used to be in the army."

"So did I, but I'm not your friend."

Kano took the man's words as a threat, "No. No, you're not."

"Excuse me, I have to use the lav..." With that sentence, Kano grabbed his glass and smashed it open on the gangster's face, new, deep scars were opened and lager sopped down him. As the thug tried to compose himself, his shouts in anguish attracted the attention of every customer who thought to look away. Kano saw the other gangster dash over with the pool cue, he braced himself but soon felt his feet lift off the ground, punching to avoid being crushed into the urinals he was now heading towards. It failed, the promised upgrades he had been promised to his body had yet to be given to him by Shao Kahn. Collapsing in the urinal, the gangster kneed Kano in the wrong side of his head, feeling a sickly pain creep upon his leg. The bandages had all but come off, revealing Kano's implant to the horrified cockney in front of him.

"You...you'se...you'se a fuckin' robot!"

"Not quite yet," Kano nonchalantly told him, punching his gut in retaliation.

The large man stumbled backwards, his back hitting and proceeding through a cubicle door, his backside landed on the toilet seat. He groaned before vomiting, the pace of the fight having been too quick for his big frame. Kano put his left hand to the side of his implant, his index and middle fingers felt the chill of the metal as he turned the disc that switched the 'safety' off. The last image the toilet ridden gang member saw was an Australian robot firing a white beam of energy bordered by scarlet. The shot penetrated his forehead, leaving him stone dead.

"Ah...that was dif-" Kano words were cut off by a force of nature, the heavily bleeding man he left at the bar had come for his revenge. Knuckles dented Kano's flesh but not his implant, his attacker kept surprisingly calm upon seeing the alteration. The punching continued until Kano felt his throat being closed off, followed by shouting from the bar. Pleading with the strangler through splutters and gasps for breath came to a close as Kano felt the attacker's hands go limp, Baraka was stood in his place, having just beheaded the scarred gangster.

"B-Barak-"

"Don't mention it," Baraka stated, retracting his blades and leaving the squalor to Kano. The Russian had saved him from being killed. Leaving the bodies, Kano witnessed the patrons of the pub sat in fear, their eyes and mouth agape at the three strange men. One looked like a demon, his teeth likes daggers, his arms now stained red, large abscesses seemed to be buried beneath the skin. The second man had entered without fuss, his body seemingly devoid of pigmentation, tattoos criss crossed and swirled around his arms, foreign to the west. The final man seemed normal despite the side of his face being revealed to them. They cowered and stared, except one. One man sat in the corner, the daily newspaper twitching as he flicked through. The three ignored him. The other customers ran, forgetting that the bartender had locked the doors, should Kano try to escape and call the police as he fought some local criminals.

"Help us!"

"How do we get out?!"

"I can't die 'ere! Margaret thinks I'm at work!"

Those were the cries of a few desperate men. The only calm person dropped his newspaper to reveal himself as Raiden to the others. He wore black steel toe capped boots, baggy jeans, a forest green turtle neck and a wool hat, his mousey brown moustache flicked as he sniffed the stifling air.

"Finally..." Kano said in exhaustion.

Raiden fixed his sight on Quan Chi, "Could you not get a fix on me?"

"I tried, believe me. You're a difficult man to get hold of," Quan Chi explained simply.

"Look," said the agent, "We don't have a lot of time, but what I need you to do is wipe those people out." The trio exchanged eye contact in a panic. "Protocol. Gruesome, I know."

The three of them sheepishly bided their time, Kano slowly turning the disc on his cybernetic temple, Baraka suffering in silence as the pain of the blades was dull and slow, whilst Quan Chi simply seemed to refuse.

"Fine," Raiden concluded, a strand of lightning erupting from the palm of his right hand, the connecting civilians were suddenly chained by the bolt, their bodies briskly collapsing to the old carpeting.

Kano, Quan Chi and Baraka didn't know what to think.

"Right then, down to business. Follow me."

With that, the three followed the illusive Raiden behind the bar, and upstairs.

Reptile galloped on all fours through the corridors of the Nevada Special Weapons and Solutions facility, trying to capture the scent of General Stryker once again. Many men had stood between him and his target, yet Reptile had effortlessly dispatched of them all. It had been no mean feat despite the soldiers' extensive training. He witnessed more prey in the next room.

Stryker and Kabal hurried through the labs and made it to Kabal's office. Stryker continued despite Kabal's pleas.

"I need to do something!"

Stryker turned to talk, "What do you need so desperately?"

"There's a self destruct code we can use in my desk and some critical information I want to take with me."

"Then be fast about it," Stryker said sternly.

Kabal obliged and tapped on to a keypad, a hidden desk drawer slid from underneath and contained another keypad along with the detonation codes and two keys used for confirmation. As he tapped in the code, Stryker rested his hand on one of the keys, Kabal then did the same.

"Three...two...one...go," he ordered nervously to the general.

In unison, they twisted the keys and watched a digital clock appear on a small screen. Ten minutes did not seem like long enough to Kabal. Stryker turned to leave, Kabal instead opted to open a usually locked door to the side of his desk. Inside was the prototype for his universal gas mask, designed to fit anybody. Kabal put it on, much to his bosses disdain.

"What did I tell you about building that?"

"I just want to be safe," Kabal muttered.

"Yeah. So do I."

Kabal watched through the obscure mask, as Stryker pulled back his fur coat and revealed a sawn-off shotgun and fired. The scientist felt numb as he felt himself keel over, half of his abdomen missing. Stryker watched the man who created 'his' serum crawl towards him. He uttered a few words.

"Wh-why...? Wh-what ha- have you done...?"

"I've tied up a loose end. I know you sent the Mortals a message. I know you wanted them to live. But it's too late, they were obsolete...For this, you have been punished."

Stryker walked away and didn't look back, Kabal could only mull over the words as he felt his eyes close, the mask becoming tighter around his head.

The general strolled through the testing area, the four chambers that once held his babies, held his super soldiers, was now going to be destroyed. Opening the double doors produced dusky sunlight on the training ground, sand beneath his feet as he awaited the helicopter that hovered mere feet above, the dust billowing off the ground. Tremor leapt from the chopper before it landed.

"Sir," he said, saluting.

"Just get me out of this fucking place."

Tremor obliged, the helicopter landed and the rotors kept running as he pointed his rifle towards the only exit. As the general stepped on to the helicopter, he heard a familiar and unsettling voice.

"STRYKER!" Reptile screamed and sprinted full pace towards his target, nothing but fury on his mind. Tremor fired pot shots at Reptile, managing to clip his shoulder to no avail. Tossing his weapon, Tremor raised his fist and struck the sand, a concentrated earthquake threw Reptile backwards, a huge cascade of grit fell from the sky, landing back where it belonged.

Tremor strode at Reptile, the mini-earthquake still ongoing, "I'm gonna enjoy killing you."

Reptile felt his legs, both of them broken with his notoriously fast healing seemingly halted under the blazing sun. Suddenly, space and time seemed to rupture before Tremor's beady eyes, a ripping effect blasted him backwards and there. Stood in the hole, was Scorpion.

Tremor sat up and scurried backwards on his hands, Stryker remained calm, "Son. How glad you could join us."

"You bastard," Scorpion uttered. "Reptile, I can't hold his portal...rip for long. Just try and escape. I'll find you!"

Stryker fired his pistol at the portal, Scorpion closed it in response, his words echoing, "Go!"

Reptile was amazed, he, like everybody else, thought Scorpion had died four years ago.

"Scorpion..."

Little did he know, but Stryker now stood over his body, Tremor soon grabbed his arms and held him down. Stryker revealed the shotgun and pulled the trigger on his stomach.

"NOOOOOO!"

Reptile wept to himself as Tremor turned his head to the side, proceeding to hold it in place as Stryker blew his lower jaw off to blood curdling screams.

"You always talked too much. Tear him apart."

With what little consciousness Reptile had left, he could make out Tremor standing on his chest as he pulled on his legs, obeying Stryker's orders to tear him apart.

Tremor sat in the helicopter with Stryker and watched the facility explode from within, fire was encased within the building as explosions could be felt. As they flew away, a blackened figure emerged from the complex. The figure crawled the Reptile's torn body and knelt over the pieces. The figure shouted out as vultures circled overhead, then fell to the ground. Kabal had survived Stryker, but not the fires of hell.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>_**This chapter was enjoyable to write, I hope you can all forgive me for being inescapably busy. Next chapter should be up after Christmas.**

**Jacc Krowe: Thanks for reading and by all means, you have my permission if you decide to write about it, but I am trying to fit in as many characters as I can without it being overkill, so hopefully if you have a particular character in mind, by all means, get in touch!**

** .x: Thank you. Eventually, that issue shall be brought up soon!**

**Mr. Havik: By all means, that is fine, I understand. Thank you as always. I have something in mind for Johnny Cage, don't worry. I really want to spoil everything, but I won't! You are, (as always) right about their moment of peace being short lived. Something bad is going to happen. Something very, very bad. Hopefully it lives up to your expectations! **


	21. Democracy

**Democracy**

Humming from the helicopter eased General Stryker, Tremor sat opposite him on two seats. Stryker dropped his shotgun slowly, and pulled out his pistol. Tremor stood.

"Do you remember Vietnam well?" The general asked his temporary bodyguard.

"I remember that we had to do it, sir."

"So you still know all of your training?"

Tremor nodded.

"Dispose of the pilot and take control."

"Understood."

As the big man moved, the helicopter tilted slightly, the pilot was none the wiser, as his attention was on doing his job. Tremor grabbed the pilot and tossed him to the back, where Stryker waited eagerly. The chopper began to descend steadily as Tremor walked towards the frightened man. Stryker opened the door, fierce winds blew through the vehicle, yet his towering beast 'disposed' of the pilot with little bother. Stryker smirked whilst he watched Tremor take control as they began to ascend once more.

_The Sheepdog, East End, London_

Raiden stood patiently at the end of a long dining table, the three men that had searched for him took their seats. He spotted Kano's cuts and bruises, the Australian's face unable to regenerate at an accelerated rate. Quan Chi and Baraka sat themselves down next to the agent.

"Well then," started Raiden, "What have you come here to ask me?"

The three looked around the room, each of them unsure how to begin. Quan Chi eventually began to ask the question.

"Shao Kahn believes that Scorpion is alive. He refuses to believe anything else. What we want to know is...can you help us?"

Raiden pondered what they were asking, "I can help, yes." Kano's face lit up. "However, it is not in the best interests of the government here. I'm still their man, you see."

"What does that matter when we have a psycho out there?" Kano added.

"Look, Stryker is out of our hands, he's still connected to the White House. How will that look if we kill him?"

"It'll look damn sweet once we reveal his intentions," Kano stated.

"And what are his intentions, might I ask?"

Kano didn't know how to answer, as Quan Chi and Baraka kept to themselves.

"Well that helps doesn't it? For all we know, he wants to cure cancer."

"Sub Zero got in touch," Baraka said. "He managed to tell us that Stryker had Scorpion killed."

Raiden was baffled, "You didn't think to mention this?"

"Who're the guv gonna believe? A bunch of super powered freaks or a highly decorated general?" Kano said rhetorically.

"I suppose you're right. We're in the shit if we tell them, we're in the shit if we don't. So far, so world ending."

The four of them waited in silence, their minds clouded over the issue.

"Get Shao Kahn on the phone," Raiden ordered, "I'll have a word with him."

_Apartment Number 112, Downtown Los Angeles_

Sub Zero stared at the off-white walls, a television sat on a stand in the corner in front of his bed, a small oven and a few cabinets for storage were parallel. He created a small ice spike in his right hand and threw it forward. It disappeared. He created another one and threw it again. He did this for ten minutes. Kevin sighed and flopped back on to his bed, his ruffled black hair spread across his pillow, shaggy and unkempt as he stared at his yellow-stained ceiling.

"This is the real LA," he mumbled to himself before rolling on to his side and grabbing a cigarette from its packet. He got up and walked to his balcony that stared across the busy streets. In the night, it created an admittedly pretty picture across the horizon, despite the pollution heavy air. Lighting his cigarette, he thought it amusing that Scorpion could have helped him spark it if he was alive. Though he didn't like to admit it, even in his head, in an empty room, he missed his old squad leader. Dragging on the tab, he crossed his arms and leant on the balcony wall, embracing the cool air in just his underwear. Sub Zero also thought to his older brother, Bi-Han, and wished he was taking in the sites as well. The familiar feeling of guilt crept upon Kevin. It was inevitable, having an affair with your brother's fiancée would do that to the coldest of hearts. Karen had long since moved on. The last Sub Zero had gathered, she had married a civil servant and had two children with him. It was no longer the Karen he had once known.

Intense ringing came from the wall bound phone, Sub Zero flicked the still lit cigarette butt into the streets below and answered it.

"Hello?"

A familiar voice greeted him, "Evening, Kevin."

"Tom, evening. How are you?"

"Not too bad thank you, how are you getting along?" Smoke asked.

"I'm doing okay. Got myself a job."

"Oh really?" Smoke answered in delight, "What are you doing?"

"Working at a film studio...stunt coordinator."

Sub Zero could practically hear Smoke grinning down the phone, "Fantastic, fantastic. Anything I should look out for?"

"It's called 'Fists of Death,' stars a guy called, Liu Kang."

"I've heard he's an up and comer, I read it in the paper," replied Smoke.

"Yeah."

"...Yeah."

There was a ten second pause, the two of them unsure what to say, until Sub Zero broke the silence.

"Funny isn't it?"

"What is?"

"We leave the army," started Sub Zero, "and regular life becomes too vanilla."

Smoke failed to see how it was funny.

"You know," continued Sub Zero, "We have nothing to talk about despite wanting nothing more than to come back home."

There was another silence.

"I made a bench the other day," Smoke announced with adulation.

Sub Zero laughed, only to hear his door buzzing.

"Look, Smoke. I'll call you back later, somebody's at the door."

"Okay Kevin, take care."

"You too."

Sub Zero put the phone back on the wall and hung his head and answered the door, before him stood the man he had been talking about, Liu Kang and another gentleman.

"Liu...what are you doing here?"

"A hello would also suffice," Kang joked.

"Yeah...hello. What's up?"

"I got your address from the studio, I hope you don't mind. I was telling my friend here that you're a good guy and would be up for a night out."

Sub Zero scanned the other man, he wore loose fitting jeans, a dark red shirt, a leather jacket and he wore a cap, which he had soon removed.

"This is Kung Lao," introduced Liu Kang.

"Good evening," Kung Lao greeted.

"Hey," Sub Zero replied half heartedly.

Liu Kang turned to Sub Zero with a case of beers, "Fancy some company?" He flashed a winning, movie star smile at him.

Sub Zero looked at the actor, then at his friend, then down to the beers.

"I'm kind of tired."

"C'mon man! A few beers here, then we hit the bars. What's up with that?"

"I try not to mix work and home."

Liu Kang shook his head, "Look, it's not like we're Jarek asking for this, or Bob."

"Goddamn Bob..." Sub Zero muttered.

"So, what d'ya say? There'll be plenty of women."

Sub Zero's eyes flickered at the sound of the last three words. Liu Kang held up the beers again.

"Screw it. Okay then."

The three of them left Sub Zero's chilly apartment an hour later after he had showered, got changed and drank his beer, then they headed downstairs. At the bottom, Sub Zero spotted one of his neighbours. The mouth of said neighbour attached to a young woman's neck, roaming her porcelain skin softly. Caught off guard, the woman buttoned up her shirt as the neighbour squeaked out an awkward 'Hello,' to which Sub Zero grinned at him and nodded his head. The nearest bar was only a street away, it was adorned with beads and Hawaiian leis, despite being run by a biker looking type. The barman acknowledged the trio and they ordered a round of beer, sipping the cold goodness as they warily eyed up various women.

"She's nice," Liu Kang pointed out to Sub Zero, the woman in particular had long dark hair in curls and was wearing a tight blue dress. Sub Zero shook his head.

"I'm more into blondes, really," he lied, knowing that he didn't have a type. He just wasn't attracted to the woman.

Stifling air could practically be seen, the flares and the denim just added to what seemed like a time-line of sleaze throughout this decade. Coked up women and men left the same bathroom, nonplussed by the disapproving looks from older onlookers. The dance floor was flooded with eager patrons and desperate singles, each wanting to show off their individual 'charms'. Sub Zero was reluctant to join in with the now dancing Liu Kang and Kung Lao, each of them talking to three young ladies. Liu Kang whispered something to the girl he was dancing with, and waved over Sub Zero. The young woman in question had deep, blazing red hair in a ponytail, and hazel irises coupled with a figure hugging crimson dress. Sub Zero couldn't believe he hadn't noticed her when he walked in.

"Hi!"

"Hey there," Sub Zero greeted, scanning her body subtly.

"Liu wanted me to meet you, I'm Skarlet...with a 'k', not with a 'c'." She shook his hand.

Sub Zero could barely hear himself think as the Bee Gee's bellowed over the top of them, "I'm Kevin, also with a 'k'," he joked.

"Nice to meet you, you want a beer?"

"I'll go and get them," Sub Zero offered, turning his back and going to the bar. Kung Lao started kissing one of Skarlet's friends as Liu Kang chatted with another. Skarlet caught up with the well built man, intrigued by him.

"So, how do you know Liu Kang?" he asked her.

"We went to acting classes together, Liu's a really sweet guy."

"You go out with him anywhere? Has he ever taken you on a date?

"Nah, he's like a brother, he's protective. Besides, he's seeing someone." Sub Zero glanced towards the young actor conversing with Skarlet's friend.

"Is that who he's seeing?"

"Huh? No, not her. That's Tanya, she went to the same class. Kung Lao's conquest over there is my friend Ash."

"I see."

She glanced at Sub Zero's rippling arms in his long sleeved light blue shirt and asked, "What do you do?"

"For business or...for fun?" he smiled.

Skarlet smiled back, her eyes seemed to pierce him, past his cool persona, "Business first, then we'll get to the fun."

"I work as a stuntman slash coordinator. That's how I met Liu. I'm working on Fists of Fury."

She seemed impressed, "Wow! That's cool. You think you could get me a part?"

Sub Zero wasn't sure if she was joking, "I suppose I could have a word with the main man." He grabbed the beers and handed one to Skarlet. As they headed back to their friends, four large men had surrounded Kung Lao.

"What do you think you're doin'?" One of the men asked Kung Lao, he seemed to be the most vocal.

"Erm...minding my own business?"

"Don't get smart with me, boy. Leave her alone."

The woman he was with interrupted, "Excuse me, I can choose who I dance with, thank you."

"It ain't just dancing," the man continued, "You've been kissing this slanty eyed fuck all night!"

Kung Lao stepped up to the man, "I've done nothing wrong."

"You've been kissing our women, you yellow bastard." He jabbed a stubby finger into Lao's chest.

Sub Zero waded through the men and tapped the leader on the shoulder, "We have a problem here?"

"Oh look a fellow American, you come to help beat this Jap up?"

"No, he's my friend."

"Well then, you're asking for it too."

Sub Zero looked the leader dead in the eye, before Liu Kang's foot slammed into the large man's head. "We're from Hong Kong, asshole."

The man stood and rallied around his group, the three brutes charging at them only to meet another kick from Liu Kang, an arm hold leading to an arm break from Kung Lao and a right hook from Sub Zero. The ringleader watched as his men went down, "I didn't go to 'Nam for this shit!"

Sub Zero grabbed him by his collar, "Neither did I," proceeding to throw him back. The men soon scattered to the exit. Skarlet and her friends ran over. Skarlet thanked Sub Zero with a kiss on the cheek and the bartender raised his thumb to say thanks as well.

_'I guess America has changed,' _thought Sub Zero as he danced with Skarlet.

The group continued to order drinks, talk, laugh and dance hours into the night. As Skarlet became intoxicated, Sub Zero felt it was time to take her back home, she refused to be a burden and suggested he let her sleep in his apartment. Although reluctant, he agreed that she could have his bed whilst he slept in the chair. Though not her (drunken) intention, she walked back with him and they waved goodbye to Kung Lao and one of her friends and the, now lonesome, Liu Kang. Sub Zero had explained the situation to him and Liu Kang, although wary, believed he could trust the stuntman not to do anything questionable. As he carried the young woman upstairs, he lay her down on his bed and sat down at the edge. She mumbled something, which he ignored at first, yet when the bed started moving, he took notice. Looking at her, she had taken her red dress off and was on her knees in her lingerie.

"What if I told you...that I want you...?" she announced to him. Sub Zero was tempted, she was slim with a beautiful light complexion, her ample bust and well curved hips seemed to invite him but he snapped out of his testosterone fuelled desires.

"You're drunk, I promised Liu Kang I would look after you," he stated bluntly.

"You would be looking after me..." she ran her right index finger across his left arm. "You're...freezing..."

"And you're tired. Go to bed, Skarlet. It will make sense in the morning." With that, the redhead fell backwards on to a pillow. Sub Zero covered her with his thin sheets and went to the balcony to have a cigarette.

_ Facility Ruins, Nevada_

Sand was upturning seemingly without the winds help, rippling waves that would have seemed like heat to witnesses appeared out of nowhere as Scorpion managed to teleport through into the training ground. The stars above him provided a beautiful backdrop for his entrance back to the US. He wore simple, East German clothing, plain brown trousers, a black t-shirt and a khaki jacket. He was without his mask, but his balaclava covered everything but his eyes. Before him lay the remains of two of his friends.

"Reptile..." He walked over to the bodies, "Kabal...not you too. Jesus." His eyes wandered over Kabal's charred body, the prototype gas mask was untouched, his head had been sealed within. Scorpion looked over the device and popped it off with relative ease, steam seemed to seep from it and inside was the untouched face of the head scientist. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head, his mouth agape and the creeping of stubble had now stopped.

"Bastards..."

Scorpion turned to witness Reptile's body, it was peculiar to the leader, as there was none of the lizard man's dark green blood, yet there were intestines hanging from the body.

"S-sc..." came a voice from the body.

Scorpion's dark eyes widened, "Reptile? Tell me you're alive!"

"H-help..."

Scorpion didn't know what to do, he searched frantically on himself for his hip flask, just to give his squad member a drink. Unbeknownst to them, his body began to regenerate at a rapid rate, his intestines curling up, his bones, his muscles, his skin all crept back into being, until he was left with a new lower body and tail. Scorpion could only watch as the miraculous process continued. With his last clawed toe, Reptile breathed anew, gasping for air. Scorpion helped him sit up.

"It's a good job you've got reptilian DNA in there somewhere," Scorpion pointed out, almost smiling.

"Y-yeah...I'm st-still weak though..."

"You know what else?" Scorpion began.

"W-wh-what?"

"You don't have a dick," Scorpion dead panned.

Reptile began to laugh, Scorpion joining in, "I've g-got one! Believe me!"

The two shook hands and embraced, both happy to know the other was alive. Reptile felt fit enough to stand, soon resting his hands on his new knees. The lizard man turned to his old commander and said, "Let's find Stryker."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: I immediately began this after Christmas but felt it lacking somewhat, but now that I got around to finishing it, hopefully introducing Skarlet, Ashrah and Tanya feels intertwined rather than forced. Skarlet was originally going to be the woman Sub Zero's neighbour was kissing but I think it would feel out of character for a 1920's born Sub Zero - who had been brought up within a very respectful Japanese-American home – to start chatting up a woman he hadn't been properly introduced to despite his womanising ways. Anyway, thanks as always to any further reviews, favs and follows!<strong>_

_**Mr. Havik: Please continue with your theories, I really enjoy how much attention you pay the storyline and the characters, I promise not to say whether you are right though! Thank you as always, I try to make my action fast paced and interesting, so as not to draw it out and as for Quan Chi, Kano and Baraka, it means a lot that you think they are human enough for this world. I want them to provoke reactions and have personality, even if I feel I can expand more on them. Those chapters will come though. Also...I hope Reptile is back to number one on your list!**_

_**Obelisk of Light: Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope it will live up to your expectations. Though not my intention for Stryker at the beginning, he has become similar to William Stryker in a lot of respects, hopefully I can differentiate whilst keeping the formula. Raiden is...complex, and that is all I shall say. As for Fujin, he might make an appearance. Thanks again.**_


	22. Haven

**Haven**

_Indian Ocean, April 19th 1977_

Scorching the earth, the early morning sunrise crept over the relatively small archipelago. The trees began to bustle in the slight breeze, which was aided by the previously unheard sound and descent of a helicopter. Several birds fluttered away in terror and unknowing, some moving to the trees to seemingly watch what would happen. General Stryker stepped out of the vehicle, closely followed by Chameleon, Frost, Tremor and Rain. The five of them stood in silence, the hum of animals from afar was all that could be heard. The Grims were unsure what to do, each of them glanced at one another, hoping that their commanding officer would tell them something, anything about why they were here. Stryker suddenly knelt down on one knee, with his back to his four soldiers, he ran his right hand through the red hot sand, only to grab a pile and let it sift through fingers.

"Yes...yes. This is perfect. It is exactly as promised," the general mumbled to himself, a wide grin suddenly spreading across his wrinkled face.

Rain took a step towards the general, only to be met by Stryker raising his hand up. Rain froze, and said, "Sir?"

Stryker stood up and replied with, "Yes?"

"Why are we here, sir? With all due respect, is this part of the plan?" Rain seemed to ask nervously.

Stryker turned and faced the squad leader, the grin on his face had not yet dissipated before he answered, "It is indeed. We are going to make a lot of money from here."

Rain smirked under his mask and shook Stryker's hand, "Here's to the best business venture the world has ever seen."

* * *

><p><em>Apartment Number 112, Downtown Los Angeles<em>

A groan from Sub Zero's bed meant that the woman he had let stay was now awake. Hungover, Skarlet could barely open her eyes for fear that it would hurt her weary head. Sub Zero poured himself and his guest a cup of coffee, hoping she wasn't too offended by the mess. Making his way towards the bed, he saw how she lay gracefully, despite the temporary condition she was in. He sat himself down on the edge of the bed, as he had done the previous night and waited until she got past her muttering to see he had a drink for her.

"Get it while it's hot," Sub Zero offered, holding the cup out for her.

"Thanks..." she grumbled, grateful for his hospitality. "Your bed is...surprisingly comfortable."

Sub Zero chuckled and thanked her, before picking himself up and gulping the hot coffee in one. He picked up her crimson dress off the floor and gave it to her, Skarlet blushed visibly but Sub Zero pretended to ignore it. He turned his back and walked to the small cupboard that was his bathroom, Skarlet slipped her dress back on and her flat shoes. She still felt embarrassed. Sub Zero stepped out of the bathroom freshly showered, his toned and towelled body was stared at by the young woman, she could believe he was a stuntman, but not a body double for Liu Kang. He was much too muscular.

"I have to go to work, feel free to stay and eat or shower," he offered, drying his dark hair with a different towel.

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I'm just gonna get going. It was nice meeting you though," she explained, smiling at him kindly. "Hopefully we can see each other again soon."

Sub Zero smiled back at her, "Yeah...it was. Tell you what, here, take my number." He scribbled down his telephone number and his address on the cardboard of an empty notepad. As she took it, she declared that she was ready to go. Sub Zero grabbed his keys and held the door open for her and they left the apartment together.

* * *

><p><em>Outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada<em>

Reptile sat in the beige dirt, the blistering heat no problem to him as he watched the paddling Scorpion pace down the road. Scorpion still wore the East German clothing. It was thin and provided relief to him in the hot weather. As they had walked from their former home to Las Vegas, the two had broken into a small clothes shop so Reptile could cover his near naked self. He wore a simple white t-shirt, a red trucker hat to cover his face if needed and XXXL jeans in an attempt to hide his tail. Scorpion thought he looked like a hillbilly that had been outcast by his hillbilly friends.

"Wave down the next truck we see, they usually stop for hitch-hikers," Reptile claimed, his scaly skin basking in the sunlight.

"And then what? Say we need a ride to New York? I'm sure that will work," Scorpion said sarcastically.

"We could always steal a car," Reptile suggested quietly, his mid-western accent slipping in mid-sentence.

"Better, but we have no money to get gas."

Reptile lifted his hands up, "Rob a gas station to get the money, to pay them for gas to drive the stolen car!"

Scorpion stared at him, a slight breeze stirring up, "This is no time for jokes."

"Robbing a store is a good idea though!"

"Getting unwanted attention is not what I plan on getting us." Reptile agreed, but the idea to steal a car was still top of his list. "No need to kill anyone though," Scorpion continued.

"True, imagine the press when they find out who killed a random truck driver. 'ALLIGATOR MAN AND DEMON ACCOMPLICE MURDER INNOCENTS'."

Scorpion sighed, "Smoke is the only one that can help us."

"What about Sub Zero?" Reptile mused.

"We have no idea where he is, and besides, he wouldn't want to get too involved."

Reptile stood up, "And you think Smoke will? He hates violence."

"But he's known us long enough to know we would need the help if we had to ask, besides we've saved his life enough times to at least be owed a bit of debt in return."

The two of them waited on the barren sands near the 'Las Vegas' sign, "Sub Zero still doesn't know you killed Kuai Liang," Reptile told him.

"I know."

They stood in further silence for ten minutes, they saw a few cars zoom past in this time, but they were filled with families.

Reptile broke the silence, "Can't you just teleport us both to New York?"

"I know what you're thinking, but I can only take myself, I can't take others. Especially not at that distance. Why don't you turn us both invisible?" Scorpion replied.

"Because it takes a lot of pow-" Reptile stopped himself, "Oh I see your point now."

"Yeah."

"Man...for super powered experiments, we're damn useless."

"We're not useless, just...flawed," Scorpion said, "Who's the president by the way? I couldn't exactly read the newspapers over there."

"From what I gathered in the base, someone called Jimmy Carter."

"Never heard of him," Scorpion stated bluntly.

"Neither have I."

* * *

><p><em>Times Square, New York City<em>

The man formerly known as Smoke stood with his wife in bustling Manhattan, he had decided to treat her to a present. Whether it be a bracelet, a necklace or a ring, he just wanted her to still be surprised now and then. The thought of Scorpion crossed his mind, if he was dead, would it hurt him as much to find out now, years down the line? Or would it not matter, seeing as his disappearing act might as well have been a substitute for death? And what of Reptile? Smoke left him in the similar way and went to pursue a life of relaxation and comfort. The fate of Sub Zero was easier, Smoke knew where his friend was but had only visited once in the years since retirement. Working for the government was a fickle business.

Whilst his wife browsed a stall outside, Smoke quickly made his way into the shop behind it and bought a pair of diamond earrings. His wife still hadn't noticed he had gone and before she knew it, he was surprising her with a present. She smiled and her slightly wrinkled face gave sudden wisdom to her years. She looked deeply into Tomas' eyes and saw his youthful looks, sometimes she envied him, sometimes she thought he got better looking with age - as men are nary to do – and sometimes she wondered if he could be any more spontaneous. Time seemed to stop as the bustling crowds moved in fast motion as they stayed in place. The moment between them lasted an age then suddenly, Deborah collapsed in the street.

* * *

><p><em>Ministry of Defence, London<em>

Raiden sat at his desk and stroked a hand through his beard, he was waiting for confirmation from his superiors to follow the Stryker link having presented evidence from several operations in Vietnam as well as the sudden disappearance of 'Codename: Scorpion'. He had listened to the by-products of genetic and technological engineering give their accounts of Stryker's intentions and written them down for the panel, Raiden himself offering some testimony. The huge double doors were opened by two armed guards and a flurry of ageing men hobbled out and created a fuss. Raiden stood up and rushed to speak to his commanding officer.

"Sir! Sir! Excuse me...sir!" he called.

"What is it Colonel?"

"Have I got permission?"

The lean figure of the general stopped walking and turned to face Raiden, "They have decided against it. Despite you causing a mass panic inside these walls they don't believe that there is enough evidence to go directly to the US and ask them to detain him."

Raiden was dumbfounded, evidence of super-powered soldiers, stolen nuclear weapons, caches, several allegedly defected troops lying in wait all was not enough to convince Prime Minister Callaghan that they needed to intervene. The general left Raiden standing in a suddenly echoing hall as he tried to figure out what he could do next.

* * *

><p><em>Abandoned Japanese base, Indian Ocean<em>

Stryker took a sharp nose-full of air and sighed, the intact base still had vehicles, weapons, offices, sleeping quarters, artillery, medical supplies, food supplies and training facilities. The thirty years since the end of Second World War had barely aged the area other than some overgrowth. The Grims looked on in anticipation, even they didn't have as much insight into Stryker's plans as they would have liked. Rain was closest to the general and knew bits but wasn't sure what was to come. He decided to ask in the silence.

"Sir, what is your plan for this place and for us?"

Stryker turned to Rain, a soldier of his creation and held his head high, scanning the clouds and the bright blue sky, "The plan is simple, son. From here on out, this is our base of operations, this is our place of employment, those buildings over there are our homes, those cars and planes are our transportation and the weapons are our protection. I plan on creating the greatest military power in the world. This will be the place the world turns to when it needs help, this will be the place an otherwise ignored nation will turn to if there is a dictator out there, or if an uprising of communist blooded simpletons decides to take over. We shall be the first port of call, not the United States, not Britain, not Europe, no. They have lost touch with their roots, they have lost touch with the call to duty. There is no patriotism like there used to be, there are no clear cut rules any more. We live in a world where there is a war on but no one is fighting it out and out. We use people behind enemy lines as spies and use unorthodox methods just to kill a single person. This is unacceptable to me. People have a voice in the back of their minds telling them that they will be turned to ash by atom bombs and that their livelihood and working days have meant nothing and they haven't even got a date telling them when it is coming. We are here to change that for everyone. We have the tools to destroy our enemies in front of them like any warrior should be worthy of. I'd rather have a man come up to me and stab me in a gut, looking into my eyes than shoot me in the back. Nations will pay us to fight their conflicts, battles and wars in cold hard cash and people will be able to live comfortably in their homes, knowing that the war will not happen on their doorstep."

The Grims eyed Rain, expecting him to reply, "What is our country's name sir?" he asked with baited breath.

"Haven."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: I started typing this up immediately after I posted chapter 21 and somehow, I just forgot about it and for that I apologise. Hopefully this chapter answers the big question of Stryker's intentions and despite its relatively short length, I felt the need to get a chapter out, it's no excuse but it feels like a stop-gap, not a lot of action but with a little bit of something there. The next part will see a bit of a jump in time by at least a few years and will detail Stryker's growing revolutionary movement, Shao Kahn's, Quan Chi's, Kano's and Baraka's individual pasts and the void between the Mortals as they seek each other out only for truths to be discovered by each.<strong>_

_**Obelisk of Light: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed. The cameos are what I enjoy doing most, despite the shortness of their appearances, I put quite a bit of effort into using a character and seeing if they would fit within the world and so, Ashrah became Ash so she wouldn't stand out with a stranger name. Stryker is only just beginning!**_

_**Mr. Havik: Reptile is definitely one of my favourites to write dialogue for, these little bits and pieces float into my head and say, 'That might be a light hearted/comedic thing for him to say,' but I have tried to make him more three dimensional than that. I'm happy that I made you long for the older games and Shaolin Monks is definitely an inspiration for their peaceful yet defensive nature. As for the pairings, I will say that there is sexual tension between Skarlet and Sub Zero but it's not the end of it. Scorpion is the only one of them to be with his canon wife albeit an alternate universe wife, Smoke is with an OC and Reptile has no one. Romance will play a part, but whether Sub Zero gets with Skarlet or somebody else shall be revealed! Thank you as always you absolute diamond.**_

_**Guest: Thank you! I'm glad I made you like Reptile more, I seem to be making people do that a lot lately...**_

_**zach1399: I appreciate it, thank you. The updates being so infrequent are a result of my old laptop suddenly dying and me losing about five or six completed chapters about half a year ago which had to retyped from memory, otherwise I would have probably have had this finished by now! **_


	23. Drive

**Drive**

_Upper Manhattan, June 17th 1984_

"As you have requested Mr. Vrbada, your wife shall be moved into a private hospital within the month."

Tomas Vrbada crouched next to his wife's bedside; she slept soundly, almost too peacefully for Tomas' liking but he was glad she felt some comfort for the moment. "What if she doesn't make it until the end of the month?"

The doctor pushed the frame of his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Tomas couldn't help but be distracted by how tall he was – Six foot five? Six, six maybe? - "Unfortunately I can't guarantee anything in the longer term of things, but we shall do her best to keep her healthy."

"Thank you."

Tomas watched as the doctor left the room, he clasped Deborah's hands with his own and he tried not to break down in tears. The man once known as Smoke stayed beside her side as long as he could bear to do so. This was her second remission into cancer. After she had fallen in Times Square seven years before, Smoke made sure that she was looked after, she beat it a year and a half after she collapsed and they had two years of no worry. Smoke didn't want to believe it once she was told she had it for a second time. Who would? He let go of her hand and walked out of the hospital, nary viewing a face as he floated along the hallways, the smell of disinfectant humming in his nostrils. He covertly replaced them with a burning smell, just for himself; when he exhaled through his nose, streams of cloud billowed out.

He opened the taxi door and stepped out to his suburban dream house, it was more lived in than before but it was still in good shape. Hours passed as he sat in silence, the ticking clock that hung over his fireplace the only thing that moved. He stared out of the window opposite, droplets of rain raced down the window as dark clouds moved about the sky. The phone began to ring. He turned towards the end table.

_Brrrng_

_Brrrng_

Smoke picked it up. "Hello?"

All he saw next was darkness.

* * *

><p><em>New South Wales, Australia, 1955<em>

"Cain! Caino!" called the familiar voice.

Cain stopped chopping wood and walked towards the little house he lived in. "What's up mum?"

"Dinner's ready," Cain's mother calmly explained.

"Ah, well I'm gonna have to pass on that. I'm off to the pub in a bit."

She turned in her flowery yellow frock, curlers in her blonde hair and said, "You can't drink on an empty stomach, now come on."

Cain sat at the table reluctantly. He loved his mother's cooking but wanted to go and talk to some women. He was eighteen and he wanted to have fun. He ate his food and rushed out of the door. His mother stopped him, his leather jacket catching on her hands, his previously rustled hair slicked back into place and his denim jeans and t-shirt completing the fifties ensemble. A modern man for a more reserved place and time.

"I love you son, be careful, all right? You never know, a koala might getcha!"

Cain laughed and remembered what she had said to him all those years ago about not trusting people just because they look harmless. "I'll be careful, okay?"

"And...?"

"I love you too, ma."

"And?"

"I'll be back just after eleven."

She smiled and he gave her a peck on the cheek before he left to meet his friends. Cain worked at a nearby garage; dirty work when it came to it, but there wasn't many cars in his neck of the woods that he couldn't fix. His father had been killed during World War II, a paratrooper who had been caught on a tree only to be shot by a Japanese sniper. His mother had, of course, embellished, but what mother would want to let their only son know the details of such tragedy. She claimed that he had died protecting his fellow soldiers, when in reality he hadn't even fought.

He drank plenty and kissed a few loose women, teasing the girls that were from his old school. He had forgotten most people from his school but one, Felicity, had stayed in his head. For that one moment he had got another drink, she walked in and he immediately forgot his friends and the women there. She had dirty blonde locks that she had tied into a ponytail, a white blouse and short black skirt that was just above the knee. Cain got up and ignored the bartender to walk over to her.

"H-hi," he spluttered out.

"Caino," she smiled and the kindness in her eyes made him feel relaxed.

"You remember me?"

"Of course I do, how could I forget that grin of yours? You might smell a bit stronger of booze than when we were at school but..."

Cain laughed with her as he apologetically brushed his hands over his jacket. "Can we talk outside?"

Felicity gave him a look which didn't register, "All right then."

Hours passed as they talked outside, he had lit a few cigarettes for himself and for her, they had joked and talked about their jobs and ambitions. It ended with her leading him behind the pub, it was all but quiet but as he ripped open her blouse and she unbuckled his belt they felt an unbridled passion between them. He nuzzled her neck as he bounced her up against the wall. It was dirty and it was perfect. She said she would give him a call, he said the same. He walked home, kicking the rocks and smiling to himself along the way. When he looked up he saw a blazing fire.

"Mu-mum?" Cain stumbled across dead grass and tried to convince himself that he wasn't drunk. "MUM!" he screamed to the emptiness, the crackling of fire spreading across wood and brick was all that could be heard.

Shadows of men could be seen heading away from Cain's house, he saw that one was limping. They were shouting at one another - They looked like they had guns in their hands. Cain watched them as they argued, hand and arm movements indicating frustration. The young man moved through the brush, the fire spread further over the house, oranges and black mingled as the men yelled. Cain held back tears as he got to the rear of his home, in the shed lay a rifle that his father used for hunting trips; it was old but it was clean. His hands shook violently as he took it off the wall, the dust floated in a spiral as Cain moved it to his waist. He left the shed and moved back outward. The men continued to bicker and Cain could hear them and see them. They were rough and seemed battle-scarred. They had the look of old pirates – old criminals just waiting to pull off one last job.

"Why?! Why did you kill her?!" questioned one of them, seemingly repeating the question for the third time.

"I told ya! Because she shot Carl! She killed Carl man..."

The third man sat on the dirt shaking his head. He said nothing. Cain aimed and shot him. He went down and the other went to the ground. Cain scanned for them as they fired shots at him. They ran out of ammo quickly and Cain put the questioner down, a round through the neck killed him instantly. The shooter, the man who had apparently shot his mother tripped over and felt pain ring through his abdomen. Blood soaked into his ragged clothing and he groaned in pain. Cain rushed over to him and hit him with the butt of the weapon, he still felt intoxicated but the anger he felt towards these anonymous men overpowered his body.

"WHY?!" Cain screamed at him, flecks of saliva hitting the man's face.

"Sh-she shot my friend!"

"She was my mum! My ma!" Cain felt tears roll down his face, he was a strong young man but she was all he had left.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry..."

Cain shot him until the gun was empty. It had just gone midnight, the men had arrived at half past eleven.

Kano woke up, sweating.

* * *

><p><em>Haven, June 18th<em>

General Stryker sat in his office, the former office of a Japanese officer and laughed to himself. The large pine desk in front of him almost covered the width of the room and on it sat a glass of whiskey. To the right of that sat a syringe filled with purple liquid. The formula that Kabal had created. He took off his jacket and rolled up a sleeve on his crisp white shirt, his diamond cuff links glinted in the sun that shone through his window. He grabbed on to the bottom of his desk and injected himself. He felt a familiar headache come along and he drank the whiskey in one. He waited. The serum hadn't worked again. Since production on the miracle drug had started on the island two years prior, Stryker couldn't seem to make it work. He needed more soldiers yet he was more than willing to test it on himself. He felt himself growing older despite his strength and tall frame. He felt like an outcast even though he was closer to being human than the Mortals or the Grims ever were.

There was a rapping on his door.

"Enter," Styker said calmly. A lone scientist walked through the door. "Yes?"

The scientist silently handed over a wad of papers and documents before saying, "Could you sign these, sir?"

Stryker glanced up and smiled, "You know I like to read before I sign anything."

"It's just routine paperwork, sir."

"I don't care, leave it with me and I'll decide whether to sign off on what contraptions you propose, or not. I have time."

The scientist nodded and wordlessly left. Stryker began reading through the folders only glancing up to see birds flying past.

The hulking body of Tremor lugged heavy crates over with him barely uttering a word. Frost watched over him as she read through some files of her own. The blazing heat made little change to the Nevada base they had become so accustomed to. Rain talked with a defected soldier, his right hand was pointing as if it was on a path somewhere and Chameleon sat in the shade on a rare break. The transparent skinned man was covered in Stryker's regulation uniform, the flag which adorned his left arm had a red background and there was a white circle in the middle, it looked like a reversible Japanese 'rising sun' flag despite the crucial element, a small, dark eagle emblem at the core, stitched as if it was being watched from the heavens. The other Grims had their olive green jackets around their waists or over their shoulders, Chameleon couldn't help glance over at Frost's chest and watch sweat drip and freeze on her icy skin. He barely remembered his life before he was changed; all he knew was that he was distantly related to Reptile, a link that he had no awareness of before.

Tremor heaved three heaped logs over to a bundle of maintenance workers, who thanked him. He was without his mask and his bald head paid a price in the heat. His bushy, unkempt beard reminded Frost of a Viking-like warrior, the fairness of it complimented the image further. He thought back to Vietnam, he thought back to the Mortals – Scorpion with his leadership abilities and his passionate approach to dealing with people. Smoke with his logical decisions and unique (even by their standards) powers. Sub Zero, his calmness under pressure a great asset when under fire. Reptile and his unorthodox thinking. Tremor couldn't help but accept that Stryker had put together a near perfect team. Until the Grims, of course.

Rain created waterfalls between his currently horizontal hands, he then turned his palms to face himself before dowsing his face. "I keep hearing through the grapevine stories of collapse in the Motherland."

Tremor swooped a log over his shoulder and let out a gasp, "Is that right?"

Rain nodded, "Seems that our Cold War-ing days will be over soon. Not that it matters, there'll be plenty to do."

Tremor grinned and continued hauling logs.

* * *

><p><em>Outworld Productions Studios, June 20th<em>

"Okay, Johnny. This is the scene where you team up with 'Ling'," Jarek looked over in Liu Kang's direction. "Clear?"

"Crystal," beamed the young man. Johnny Cage was a new kind of action star, a film star for the 1980's. Liu Kang was synonymous with seventies action films and his popularity was waning. Thankfully, long time collaborator, Jarek wanted to help the star who had made him his first million. Cage took off his sunglasses and posed, ready for the next take.

"Action!"

Sub Zero stood off screen dressed in leather trousers, a white vest and he wore a brown wig. He was taller and bulkier than Johnny Cage but the stunt work had been brutal – It was as if Jarek had it out for him. A familiar redhead crept up behind him, making him smile.

"Fancy seeing you here," he greeted. Skarlet passed him a cup of coffee and a bagel. She placed her hand on his chest and in it lay a single chocolate.

"Who says I don't buy you nice things?" Skarlet sat down next to him, "Enjoying your work with Johnny so far?"

"He's...hard to work out."

"You'll get used to it, he's a born movie star."

"I'll say."

Sub Zero took a break and lit up a cigarette. He hadn't heard from Smoke in months and he had heard about the closure of military bases from a new, if reliable acquaintance named, Kenshi Miyazaki. Kenshi was barely out of his teens but his knowledge of computing was far above that of many government officials. Whilst being mugged, Sub Zero happened to be there, rescuing the young man's satchel but not before giving the mugger a broken arm. After talking, a reluctant Sub Zero learned of Kenshi's technological wizardry. Through Kenshi, Sub Zero had learned of Reptile's disappearance.

* * *

><p><em>Rex Manor, Oxford, 1932<em>

"Get that little bastard out of my house!"

"He's yours!"

"He's got too much Oriental in him! He isn't my son!"

"How can you say such things Harold?"

"Don't you question me woman. You know how many eligible women I turned down before I knocked you up? Huh?"

"You're scaring me!"

"Surprised you haven't stolen my money you whore."

"I love you though, you know that!"

"You should be my handmaiden, not my wife..."

James sat on the stairs and sobbed quietly, listening to his mother and his drunken father arguing. He hated his school. He hated having no friends. He hated a lot of things considering his young age but tonight was different.

He sat on the stairs for an hour, just waiting to hear his mother's voice. James listened as hard as he could. He heard a gunshot. His father's shotgun. He ran upstairs, hearing the clapping of shoes against marble flooring. James climbed into bed. His father entered not ten seconds after.

"Hello son. It's all right, I know you're awake."

"Where's mummy?" James asked.

"Mummy has gone away for a while."

James could smell alcohol on his father. He wasn't sure what kind.

"When will she be back?"

"I don't know."

"H-have...have you hurt her?"

"No, son."

James wondered why he was so calm. Then he saw his father's belt swung up and struck down with a crack.

"I TOLD YOU TO BE IN BED BY EIGHT AND NO LATER."

He hated his father.

* * *

><p><em>Bahama Benny's, Miami, June 20th 1984<em>

Reptile leaned against the bar in a lime green pastel suit and mirrored sunglasses, he drank cocktails with little umbrellas in them every time and the bar loved him for his sheer self assuredness. He was a man who didn't care, he lived with Scorpion upstairs and paid rent like a couple of normal young bachelors – despite the fact that they weren't normal or young. Regardless of his lizard like transformation, he had coped well having discovered he could alter his body to a similar extent as Chameleon, with one flaw – he couldn't control how long it lasted which led to some awkward pillow talk as the smooth skin he possessed soon became the rough exterior he was known for. His eyes were the only give away; A shimmering gold with slit pupils.

Scorpion joined the once familiar looking Reptile, a mirror image of the fresh faced World War II veteran. He himself looked fresher faced yet the nightmares of his family being murdered continued. He had avoided the trend of wearing garish clothing (ironically enough) and stood with his dark hair slicked back, heavy stubble adorning his face, a black shirt and jeans contrasting Reptile's almost otherworldly appearance. Scorpion watched as Reptile puckered his lips and jutted his hip to the new wave music playing before asking in bewilderment.

"Why are we here?!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: I swear that the universe doesn't want me to finish this story. Another laptop decided to die on me, so that was rather unfortunate BUT I digress. <strong>_

_**Obelisk of Light: Thank you. Raiden is indeed a very solitary character and in my story he is no different. He may seem very shady but his intentions are towards helping keep the world a safe place – even at the cost of himself and others. Stryker does seem to have plans for everyone, doesn't he?**_

_**zach1399: I'm pleased to hear that! Quan Chi's resurrecting powers will definitely play a part soon but maybe not as you think. Thanks!**_

_**Mr. Havik: I aim to please! The Mortals joining up with Stryker is definitely an idea I am toying with. They are scattered, Stryker is crazy and he has their every need covered practically. Seems like a match made in super soldier heaven, eh? Even though it is an alternate universe, I have tried not to divulge too much from reality. World War III, as in most fictions dealing with the topic, can be portrayed as tacked on with not a lot of background. It is an area I am looking towards despite the fact I know what I want the last chapter to be like. Reptile is insane to write about, I enjoy writing his parts so much I'd consider a spin-off! Raiden shall be dealt with though, don't worry! Thank you.**_


	24. Caged

**Caged**

_Lion's Head Pub, Cornwall, June 21st_

The 17th Century fireplace flickered as the landlord stoked the burning logs, tiny sparks disappeared into nothingness as he let out a sharp cough. A lone customer sipped his pint of bitter quietly, his electric blue eyes not leaving the wad of documents he gripped strongly, seemingly determined to finish reading them before he went upstairs to sleep.

"I'm going to lock up soon," the landlord told the lonely looking soul. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like – Provided you don't nick anything and pay for the duration."

Electric-Eyes barely registered when he heard the noise from the pub owner's mouth. "Of course," he replied, not one hundred percent sure what he was agreeing to or with.

"All right then. G'night."

Raiden was left with a simple lamp on the bar top as he scanned the documents he had attained. Within the folders lay reams of information on the Grims and a crucial, 'for his eyes only' envelope containing papers about Stryker. He scanned through the folders on the super soldiers once again, mumbling to himself that he would remember what he needed. He flipped over to the first page; It was a woman named, Li Xiu AKA Lou Xiu.

The Lieutenant placed an index finger under the passport sized photograph of her; Fair skin, a small, slightly pointed nose, hazel eyes and shoulder length brown hair.

LI XIU A.K.A. LOU XIU

CODENAME: FROST

BORN: AUGUST 6th 1924

RACE: JAPANESE-AMERICAN

HOMETOWN: PORTLAND, OR

OCCUPATION B/F RECRUITMENT: FLORIST

REASON FOR RECRUITMENT: BLOOD RELATIVE TESTED +

MILITARY EXPERIENCE: N/A

BACKGROUND: THIRD GENERATION JAPANESE-AMERICAN BORN IN U.S.

RELATIVE OF: BI-HAN & KUAI-LIANG. SUB ZERO NUMBERS I AND II

BROUGHT IN TO TRAIN AND JOIN THE BLACK OPERATIONS TEAM – GRIMS

ABILITIES ARE SIMILAR TO THE SUB ZERO BROTHERS

BRIEF:

IT IS BELIEVED SHE JOINED GENERAL KURTIS STRYKER TO PROTECT THE

SECOND SUB ZERO HAVING LEARNED THAT THE FIRST

WAS KILLED ON STRYKER'S ORDERS.

FROST REMEMBERS HER LIFE PRIOR TO THE EXPERIMENT

POSSIBLY AIDED BY THE REMINDER OF SUB ZERO.

SHE IS FAST AND HAS LEARNED QUICKLY.

BELLIGERENTS USUALLY DISCOVERED PINNED TO WALLS – SPIKED

BY A SHARD OF ICE, SUBSEQUENTLY HELD BY FREEZING

OF SPINAL CORD AND REAR.

A CRAFTED ICE ROSE IS SAID TO BE HER CALLING CARD.

**CAUTION ADVISED.**

Raiden saw another picture of her underneath the brief, it was Frost as she appeared at least a year before. Snow white hair, tiny crystals forming, diminishing and reforming throughout. Piercing metallic blue eyes, pale skin and a mask covering her mouth and nose. It was jarring seeing the difference the process made. The lieutenant shut the folder; Nothing substantial. He took a larger swig of the bitter and sighed, opening the next folder. The picture was of a smiling young man, he was clean shaven, had a strong jaw and dirty blonde hair that was ruffled. A slight beard was coming into fruition at the time.

ALEXANDER BERG

CODENAME: TREMOR

BORN: APRIL 19TH 1928

RACE: CAUCASIAN AMERICAN

HOMETOWN: AUSTIN, TX

OCCUPATION B/F RECRUITMENT: ARMY RESERVES/HOMELESS

REASON FOR RECRUITMENT: RANDOM TESTING PROVED +

MILITARY EXPERIENCE: NOVICE WITH POTENTIAL

BACKGROUND: GERMAN/SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS. BORN IN THE U.S.

RELATIVE OF: N/A

BROUGHT IN TO TRAIN AND JOIN THE BLACK OPERATIONS TEAM – GRIMS

ABILITIES ARE FOCUSED ON PURE STRENGTH, TREMOR CAN LIFT SEVERAL TIMES HIS OWN WEIGHT

CAN CREATE SLIGHT MOVEMENTS IN THE EARTH'S PLATES TO CAUSE 'MINI-QUAKES'

BRIEF:

TREMOR WAS A HOMELESS RECRUIT OF THE U.S. IMMORTALS PROJECT.

HE WAS ONE OF OVER THREE HUNDRED TEST SUBJECTS THAT ADAPTED AND SURVIVED

THE TESTS HE TOOK.

JOINED STRYKER POSSIBLY DUE TO THE LIFE OFFERED BY THE GENERAL.

BELLIGERENTS OFTEN FOUND LIMBLESS WITH SKULLS CAVED IN, 'MINI-QUAKES' USUALLY STUN

AND THROW ENEMIES OFF BALANCE. EXTREMELY STRONG

EVEN BY THE STANDARD EXPECTATIONS.

FIRST SUPER-SOLDIER TO HAVE MUSCLES AND TISSUE COMPLETELY

UPHEAVED AND DEVELOPED.

**EXTREME CAUTION ADVISED.**

Below lay another picture of Tremor as he was recently; A shaved head, grey eyes and a mask that lay over the top of a large blonde beard. Raiden couldn't help but think the Nazis would have wanted him in their ranks. Tremor was powerful but he was far from stupid, Raiden was more than aware of the danger he posed, despite his lack of involvement near the top of Stryker's pyramid. Within the next one lay Chameleon. The head shot was an African-American man that beamed at the camera. He had large brown eyes, a bald head and a button nose. Raiden had to check the picture that lay beneath the brief just so he could check the transformation – Chameleon had translucent, clear skin, Raiden could almost make out his eye sockets and and teeth without him needing to show off either. He wore a verdant headband that covered his forehead, his eyes actually glowed emerald, similarly to Ermac. He wore a black scarf that covered his nose and mouth.

ISAAC CARLSON

CODENAME: CHAMELEON

BORN: NOVEMBER 1920 [NOT SURE OF DATE]

RACE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN

HOMETOWN: ATLANTA, GA

OCCUPATION BEFORE RECRUITMENT: INFANTRYMAN IN 93RD INFANTRY DIVISION BEFORE INTEGRATION OF ARMED FORCES. BAR OWNER SHORTLY BEFORE IMMORTALS RECRUITMENT.

REASON FOR RECRUITMENT: ASKED BY FORMER REGIMENT MEMBER

MILITARY EXPERIENCE: BRONZE STAR, PART OF PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

BACKGROUND: FIFTH GENERATION AFRICAN-AMERICAN BORN IN U.S.

RELATIVES: POTENTIAL WAS FOUND IN DISTANT COUSIN – REPTILE

BROUGHT IN TO TRAIN AND JOIN THE BLACK OPERATIONS TEAM – GRIMS

ABILITIES RANGE FROM ALTERING ENTIRE FORM THROUGH CELLUAR EXCHANGE.

CHAMELEON CAN TAKE ON THE FORMS, THOUGHTS AND ABILITIES OF DEAD OR ALIVE HUMANS.

MILITARY TRAINING MEANS HE IS PRECISE AND EFFICIENT, HE PREFERS WEAPONS

TO MELEE ENGAGMENTS.

**CAUTION ADVISED – TRUST IS AN ISSUE**

The final Grims folder was now brought to the top of the pile. Raiden pried it open.

BENJAMIN KAUFFMAN

CODENAME: RAIN

BORN: SEPTMBER 19TH 1924

RACE: CAUCASIAN AMERICAN

HOMETOWN: WASHINGTON D.C., WA

OCCUPATION BEFORE RECRUITMENT: UNKNOWN

REASON FOR RECRUITMENT: HIGH POTENTIAL DISCOVERED

MILITARY EXPERIENCE: UNKNOWN

BACKGROUND: UNKNOWN

RELATIVES: HIS FATHER WAS BROUGHT IN – HAD THE RIGHT GENES, DIED IN EXPERIMENTS

BROUGHT IN TO TRAIN AND JOIN THE BLACK OPERATIONS TEAM – GRIMS

RAIN HAS THE ABILITY TO ALTER HIS NAMESAKE AT ALARMING RATES, HE CAN CONTROL THUNDERSTORMS TO SOME EXTENET AND CAN CAUSE EXCESS FLOODING JUST BY CONCENTRATING ON A RIVER. CAN ALTER HIS BODY TO BECOME LIVING WATER.

BRIEF:

RAIN IS AN ARGUABLY MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN CHAMELEON AND IS HIGHLY INTELLIGENT.

HE SHOWS NO FEAR IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE WHEN COMPARED TO HIS SQUADMATES,

A TRAIT THAT HE SHARES WITH SCORPION. RAIN WAS SENT ON STRYKER'S ORDERS TO ASSASSINATE SCORPION'S WIFE AND INFANT DAUGHTER TO TEST THE REACTION OF

GRIEVANCES ON S-S's. THE HIT WAS ALSO AS A TEST TO PROVE RAIN WAS 'GOOD' ENOUGH

TO BECOME A GRIM. WHISPERS DICTATE THAT HIS FATHER WAS

KILLED FOR NOT CARRYING OUT SIMILAR TESTS IN THE 1940'S.

**EXTREME CAUTION ADVISED – WELL TRAINED WITH WEAPONRY, INTELLIGENT AND SADISTIC**

The lieutenant closed the folder and braced himself to open the envelope with the word, 'KURTIS', written in red on the front. He slid an index finger under the flap and slid out a single sheet of paper. Raiden unfolded it and it had a simple, handwritten note from his contact. Raiden had to scan over it a few times before he could take it in.

_**STRYKER HAS BEGUN A NEW PHASE OF TESTING, NEW SUBJECTS ARE FLOWN TO HIM DAILY.**_

Inside the envelope was a small photo showing an island. It was black and white and on the back were estimated co-ordinates and possible islands he could have taken for himself. Raiden drank the rest of his pint and went to bed, astounded.

* * *

><p><em>Stalingrad, December 1943<em>

"I can barely believe you are Russian, you tremble in this cold like a newborn baby!" The yell came from Anatoly's squad mate. Anatoly shivered continually but let out a laugh.

"You're a bastard, Vasily!" he called back.

Freezing weather was never one to stop people during the Russian winter, World War II was but a year and so many months away from ending yet nobody was any wiser towards it. On the other side of Europe fought the Mortals, the Grims were barely out of their adolescent years. General Stryker was a colonel that sent orders from a covert military base in Nevada, the scientist who had made it all possible, Kabal, was still marveling at his accomplishment and Raiden was gathering information on potential Nazi spies. World War II was never dull.

"Vasily!" shouted the shivering Anatoly.

"What?" Vasily yelled back.

"Do you see that?"

Vasily turned to where Anatoly was pointing. He pulled out his binoculars to get a better look at the head that was out of place in the wall of German and Soviet corpses. It had banding around its head but most peculiar of all, the eyes shone a brilliant green.

"What on God's earth...?" Anatoly whispered to himself just as Vasily shot at the pile of bodies. A green shimmer deflected from the shot into a shop window. The eyes began to rise up and a full bodied human rose from the ground. Vasily kept shooting only to be met by the deflective shield each time; Anatoly stayed still, nary a quiver of his lip as he stood in fear. The dark bandaged person floated over to the now ammo-less Vasily and waved his left hand horizontally, picking the Russian up with little effort. Anatoly could only watch as Vasily's ribs began poking through his uniform, the excruciating screams of a man being ripped inside out echoed across Stalingrad. Anatoly grabbed the strap of his gun and pulled it to his waist only to have it thrown from his hands by the force of the figure. He felt his body jerk backwards off the watch post and the sharp twist of a bayonet enter his back. Anatoly spat blood on to his chin and his neck, steadily feeling the life flooding from his body. He thought of his wife and the remainder of his family only to be awoken by the 'face' of the figure.

"You will not die here, Anatoly," said the figure.

"W-what...who are y-you?!"

"I am a friend, my name is not important."

Anatoly felt the sharp pain disappear from his abdomen.

"Your life will be changed by this encounter – partially by me, but mostly by your own country."

Anatoly grunted as the figure traced his finger down to his knife, unsheathing and pulling it forth. Anatoly screamed as the figure began to cut his ears off. The figure stood and began to walk away.

"Who are you?!" Anatoly demanded, unable to hear his own voice clearly.

The figure turned and pulled his bandages down to reveal his mouth, Anatoly could barely hear the voice but thought he heard the figure say, "They call me Ermac."

Anatoly was found by his fellow soldiers and was taken to a hospital, the government kept him in care for almost a decade due to the shock he had suffered, the Cold War would mean he would have a use – as an experiment codenamed: Baraka.

* * *

><p><em>Haven, July 1st<em>

General Stryker sat at the edge of the smoke laden room, a single light bulb overhead illuminated his face and the faces of his scientists.

"What news do you have for me?"

A single voice replied, "Nought point four percent of the candidates we have brought in fit the gene pool samples. We have discovered potential in at least a dozen of the people we have brought in."

"What of the others that didn't make the cut?"

"Having discussed that, we believe that the ones who survived the testing process would be suitable mercenaries and infantry for us. They have proved they can take the punishment that the process toll takes on oneself."

Stryker inhaled his cigar smoke and nodded before exhaling.

"Sir, if we may, we would like to recommend some more candidates."

"Go ahead."

"Jonathan Hemsworth, aged twenty six. Occupation – actor. Frank Darabount, aged thirty five. Occupation – boxer. Abrahem Aswegen, aged twenty two. Occupation..."

Stryker waved his hand, "That's enough."

"Sir?" the scientist questioned, perplexed.

"Just bring them in and the serum shall choose the strongest of them all. Names are not needed, they are nobodies until they are given their call signs. That – that is when they will be somebodies."

"As you wish, sir."

The scientists left Stryker's office and he sat back as he injected another dose of the serum into himself. After a few minutes, he woke up on his plush carpet covered in bloody vomit. The old man had passed out once more and it maddened him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: I am feeling ambitious to say the least! The next chapter should hopefully be done by the end of the week, if not sooner. Stay alert for some shocks!<strong>_

_**Obelisk of Light – I'm really glad you said that, thank you. Kano is difficult to write without veering towards 'Australian stereotype' and 'super serious, kitschy caricature' so that means a lot to me that you feel sympathy for him. Sonya is indeed part of this story, not long until she is revealed! Kenshi is a little different to the characters so far, a sort of 'time traveller' amongst the espionage and backstabbing. James is actually Shao Khan, so I hope that clears up any confusion. Thanks for reading as always!**_

_**Mr. Havik – You have no need to apologise, I understand completely. That's a perfect way of putting it, character deaths in fanon are interesting to write as people have already grown to love them, but when I try and take a disliked character and change them into someone likeable, it becomes enjoyable to see the different reactions to them. Smoke likes to disappear at the worst times, doesn't he? Whether Raiden will make use of him shall be revealed... James is meant to be Shao Khan, I must have written that part badly! The clue was that it was 'Rex Manor' in the early 20th Century. My apologies! Take care as always.**_


	25. Smoked

**Smoked**

_Los Angeles, July 17th 1984_

Sub Zero woke up. He felt the breeze blow his curtains and on his body. Skarlet had left him to go off to work whilst he had the day off. He wondered why Smoke had not got in touch for almost a month before drifting off and thinking of where Reptile could have gotten himself to. Naked, he stretched his legs before sitting up to look for his underwear. Deciding against finding the mysteriously missing boxer shorts, he pulled on Skarlet's silky feeling dressing gown and went over to make some cereal. The fridge was all but empty, yet his red haired partner-in-crime had left him a list inside a cabinet.

"Typical..." he muttered to himself as he took the cardboard box down. A rapturous knocking made the large man almost squeak in terror. "Who the hell?" he said to himself again, as he paced towards the door. Moving an eye against the peep hole, he could see nothing but darkness. Sub Zero could feel ice hardening in his veins, the sharp cold feeling he felt created a knife out of nothing.

"Who's there?" he called.

"We just want a word," came the reply.

'We' could have ranged from two people to a large group. Sub Zero opened the door to two well dressed men. "Can I help you?" Sub Zero asked.

"Hello, sir. We've been searching for you for a very long time."

"Excuse me?" Sub Zero didn't known the men and he was beginning to form theories in his head as to why these two men in black suits were standing here.

"All shall become clear."

Suddenly, a cloud of gas was sprayed into the air and Sub Zero felt his eyes grow heavy immediately.

* * *

><p><em>Rex Manor, July 18th<em>

Shang Tsung opened the door to see a man stood on the front step.

"Yes?" said Tsung to the figure.

"I'm here to see James," said the man.

"Jam-? Oh, you mean Mr. Khan. Who can I say is needing his hospitality?"

The man looked up, "Tell him Walter is here."

"One minute."

Raiden waited and exactly a minute later, Shang Tsung opened the door and ushered him through the foyer and upstairs.

"Sir," Tsung started, "Walter is here."

"Good," Khan replied, waiting for Tsung to leave. "Walter...it's been a long time."

"James...or should I call you Shao Khan?"

Khan turned and grinned, "To you, call me what you like, friend."

Raiden smiled and shook the almost giant of a man's hand. "You've beefed up."

"I try. I must say though, the eighties bore me what else is there to do? It's all videotapes and garish music. What happened to culture?"

"We got old. That's what happened."

Khan waved his hand and poured a drink for himself and Raiden. "Old. You barely look past your thirties."

"Thank the government for that one. I don't quite get the appeal of never ageing. I'd rather die peacefully in my chair; not on the battlefield."

"Still leading the military life are we? I thought as such."

Raiden drank the scotch and lit a cigarette - Khan lit a cigar. "Surprisingly enough, I'm here on business rather than pleasure."

"Bit of bother?" Khan questioned.

"You could say that it could be world ending..."

"Isn't the Cold War about over? I'm sure I've about run out of nuclear rations."

Raiden laughed, "No, James. In fact, it could be getting much hotter - and not even Soviet related."

"Thank Christ, I've had enough of mad Russians. Baraka excluded of course."

"Ah yes, Baraka. How is he?"

"Surviving."

They both laughed. "Say..." Raiden began, "Have you heard of General Stryker?"

Shao Khan glanced up from his drink and looked at the floor, "Why?"

"Because I want to know that you'd be on the right side."

Khan puffed on his cigar and narrowed his eyes, "I'm always on the right side."

"Of a deal, yes. But I mean on the side of 'good' to put it simply."

"I'm an arms dealer, Walt. Right and wrong don't exactly enter my mind as I arm Iranians with Kalashnikovs."

"True, but then again, would you rather be remembered as a 'good' arms dealer, or a world ending one?"

Khan finished his drink, "I don't think anyone will be remembered if the world ended."

"Right again but if someone were to put together an encyclopedia of history up until the nukes rained down, you wouldn't want to be thought of as a right hand of evil, would you?"

"Of course not."

"So...then you're not on Stryker's side?"

Khan blew smoke out of the side of his mouth and answered with a calm, "No."

"Good," said Raiden confidently. "But have you spoken with him at all?"

"No. I want nothing to do with him."

"That's all fine, but I need your help. I need you to help me find the Mortals."

Khan played dumb.

"Don't hide them from me, James. I know you've talked with them before. The US government is more talkative than you'd think. Plus, immunity means nothing if you're not known and feared by at least a few high ranking suits, is it?"

"Okay, I have spoken with them, yes. But the only way I've seen them since is through Quan Chi."

"Through Quan Chi?" Raiden was perplexed.

"He can see through certain peoples minds and can tell if they're still alive."

"Fascinating...mind if I have a word with him?"

"Be my guest."

* * *

><p><em>Bahama Benny's, Miami<em>

Scorpion awoke to the sound of pattering on his walls. Reptile was on the other side practising his crawling abilities, the lizard man hoping he hadn't lost his powers. The two met downstairs in the empty bar, the sun shone through beaded doorways and the sound of birds and waves collided into pleasant blissfulness. Scorpion was still more level-headed than his compatriot, yet he still had time for the parties Reptile craved.

"Ah! There's nothing quite like the smell of the ocean, is there?" Reptile declared, stretching his scaled arms.

Scorpion looked at him and grunted, "We need to get serious about what we're going to do."

"What do you mean? We're settled, we don't need anything else."

Scorpion crept around the bar, careful not to stick to the drink laden floors, "Look around and think for a moment. What if we stay here a decade or so? Then what? Continue to deny that we look exactly the same as we do now? People get suspicious. I get suspicious. It's not a solution."

Reptile folded his arms, "You need to cool off. Relax! You know, like the song!"

"I wish I was back in Guadalcanal..." Scorpion murmured.

"C'mon, let's stay here a few more years, then we move on. I'm not done with the Miami chickas yet!"

"Chickas...? Christ, you sound older than me."

Reptile flexed a bicep, "Babes, honeys, whatever! They want me, for me."

"Then why don't you tell them you're a scrawny, lizard beast who smells like shit and eats human flesh?"

"ATE human flesh. I don't eat it any more," Reptile announced.

Scorpion chuckled, "Yeah, because I'm sure saying you're a former cannibal will go down really well. That, and the ugliness."

The Yellow Yank began clearing up bottles whilst Reptile swept and mopped the floors. A few youngsters would try and spy inside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the weird monster that could change shape, only to be met with a swift shooing from Scorpion. He missed his wife and daughter and despite it being forty years since Rain killed them, he still had the occasional nightmare. Despite telling Reptile time and time again that he had a plan to track down the Grims, he actually had not, but he wanted to believe it.

"Do you think Smoke ever thinks about us?" Reptile asked.

Scorpion stopped on the cellar steps and thought for a few seconds, "I would imagine he does. We were a large part of his life. Same with Kevin."

"What about Brian?"

Scorpion froze, "What about him? He's dead."

"I mean..." Reptile swallowed, "Do you think Kevin ever thinks we played a part in it? You thought he'd...you know."

"Smoke always told me that I shouldn't tell him if I ever saw him after 'Nam."

"Maybe it's better to clear the air?" Reptile suggested.

"Maybe it's better for you to shut your mouth and do you goddamned job?"

Reptile recoiled, "Jeez, you made your point. Sorry."

Scorpion sighed, "No. Don't be. It's my mess to clean up, not yours."

"Does that include this mess?" Reptile joked. Scorpion threw a bottle at him with a smile on his face.

* * *

><p><em>Haven<em>

"General, Rain will arrive shortly."

"Excellent," Stryker said to the air controller.

Stryker couldn't wait to hear his right hand man's report from the Persian Gulf. He saw Rain step out of a helicopter and march towards Stryker's office. The doors were opened for him by assistants. Stryker sat with two glasses of whiskey and a pack of cigarettes for his long time cohort. Rain was dressed in Haven's personal military garb; dark grey fatigues with a light blue armband that displayed rank - on his face he wore a violet face scarf that covered his mouth and nose.

"Benjamin," greeted the general.

"Sir," greeted Rain.

"Sit down, you've earned it."

Rain took his seat and pulled down his scarf, pulling a cigarette from the carton and lighting up immediately.

"Tell me," started Stryker, "Are the Iraqis really using chemical weapons?"

"You got that right," Rain confirmed, taking a hefty drag of the cigarette.

"Saddam is a ruthless sonofabitch...I like his thinking though. Brutal but effective."

Rain stopped moving and stared at his superior, "He's almost too clever for his own good. He'll get his comeuppance eventually. People hate dictators - oddly enough."

"True, true. I know that all too well. I fought Hitler and I won."

Rain took another drag, "Did the Mortals even come into contact with the upper echelons of the Third Reich?"

Stryker let out a small laugh, "They couldn't hit a bulls ass with a shotgun, let alone sneak into Berlin and take him out."

"I bet you wanted them to though, didn't you?"

"What can I say?" Stryker shrugged, "I'm old fashioned. Strike hard or don't bother. That's why I suggested Scorpion and Reptile to the CIA. They wanted Kennedy gone, so I just said, 'Kill him, use these two freaks' and they agreed."

Rain laughed and handed over his report. As Stryker read through it, Rain began to tell him about his 'journey', "The Gulf is a little...different to what I'm used to dealing with - sand, lack of water and civilians everywhere. It's not like the good old days...you can't just walk down a street without seeing a kid running around carelessly. I'm going to try and see what more we can do to help out."

Stryker looked up briefly, "How much are the two sides offering for services now?"

"It's in the report, but I think the Iranians will give us contracts ranging from ten thousand dollars to the more high risk one hundred and fifty. The Iraqis - or should I say Hussein - are more lavish. twenty five grand for the small fry stuff up to two fifty for destroying bunkers and surveillance stations. I just know that they've got big risk and a big reward."

"Have the other Grims suggested anything unusual?"

"What do you mean, sir?"

Stryker stood and poured himself another drink, "Have they witnessed attacks deliberately aimed at us? Ignoring the sand dwellers and aiming specifically at them?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Besides, Tremor already has a lot of it covered."

"I think either the Americans or...someone else is trying to have a shot at us."

Rain swivelled in his chair, "The US wouldn't. They have too much respect for you."

"I'm an old man; they don't care for me. Besides, I have the upper hand on them. They don't have any experiments as far as I'm aware."

Rain got another cigarette out of the box, "How can you be sure?"

"Some of our tech-babble scientists can access their files."

"What about Scorpion? How do you know he isn't planning something?"

Stryker's hands tensed up, age spots smoothed the top of his skin, at seventy eight, he was desperate for the immortality seemingly granted to the Mortals and Grims. "The fact of the matter is, it would be easy to dismiss him, but a man with rage like that...my god. He's an almost unstoppable killing machine." Rain felt undervalued but listened as Stryker continued. "He's near perfect. I won't lie. A near perfect assassin." The general glanced at Rain, "Not as deadly as you though."

Rain grinned and said, "Thank you, sir."

* * *

><p><em>6.03 pm.<em>

Darkness surrounded Sub Zero, he had awoken with a frightful suddenness that took his breath away.

"Hello?!" he called out, hearing his voice echo across a huge distance. Bats screeched and fluttered off in droves and the almost deafening sound of water suddenly blocked the ice man's ears. Without comprehending immediately, Sub Zero soon discovered that he had a mask of some kind on his head yet his hands were free. He stood up and pulled the bag off his face, feeling himself jump as he saw a youthful man stood in front of him.

"Hello," greeted the man.

Sub Zero moved to strike, the man unflinching as another hand seemed to appear out of nowhere to stop the blow; it was a familiar face.

"Smoke?!"

Tomas Vrbada nodded to his friend in confirmation. His hair seemed out of place - as if it hadn't been groomed or washed properly in weeks. "Yes, Kevin. It's me."

Sub Zero twisted his hand into a clasping motion and pulled his old friend towards him, they hugged and laughed before Sub Zero started questioning his brother in arms. "Who's this then? What the hell has been going on?"

The man who had first appeared before Kevin stood forward and bowed, "Greetings, sir. My name is Abrahem and this is where we train."

"Train?"

Smoke stepped in, "I shall explain this to him, Cyrax."

Sub Zero backed up, "Cyrax? He just said his name w-"

"I'll explain it to you. Come on, take a seat," Smoke motioned to rocky wall that surrounded the streaming, cascading waterfall.

"What is going on, Smoke? Please shed some light on my otherwise dull life," Sub Zero admitted to his old friend.

"Just over a month ago, I was with Deborah in Times Square, she collapsed as th-"

"Is she all right?!" Sub Zero interrupted.

"Her cancer came back." Smoke saw that Sub Zero was visibly distraught. "I've put her in a private room in hospital, I visit her every day."

Sub Zero looked to his friend and said, "Good. But you still haven't told me what all of this is."

"I'm getting to that," Smoke adjusted his new mask, it was larger and covered the bottom half of his head. The gunmetal grey looked newly polished and barely combat experienced. "She collapsed so I headed home and gathered my thoughts. The phone started ringing and naturally, I answered it expecting it to be one of the kids. Next thing I know, the wall I'm looking at just disappears and I wake up outside this very temple."

"Temple?" Sub Zero exclaimed almost excitedly.

"Yes, temple. This is the top of the ruin, there is nothing above us apart from the waterfall which falls straight down into the catacombs below. Anyway, I wake up outside and curiously peek through the doors. A huge, empty hallway was right ahead so I call out only to have people attack me. I take them on and hurt a few before they suddenly stop and bow to me."

"Like you're their king or something?"

"Something like that. Basically, they introduced themselves as the Lin Kuei or 'the Forest Demons'. They have been following our adventures for a long time."

"And you just believe them and leave it at that?"

"Unlike you, my good friend, I am more trusting than most."

Sub Zero stood up and took in a view of the waterfall and the hole it fell through - people trained with each other on lower floors and seemed to speak about anything and everything.

"Why us?" the ice man finally asked.

"Because we can do things most people cannot."

"But...but we can't go back. You of all people were most vocal about it."

Smoke looked at the thick wooden pillar beside him and rested a palm on it, "I know. But Debor-"

"Deborah needs you more than these people. You can't help everyone Tom." Sub Zero felt a pang of guilt as he finished processing what he had just said.

"Look, you don't have to help me, just...just at least hear what they have to say."

Sub Zero nodded. He followed his friend downstairs and they stepped into a rope powered elevator, Smoke kept quiet the entire couple of minutes it took to reach the bottom floor as unease crept upon Sub Zero. Reaching the bottom, the two of them meandered towards the large open area that spanned the entire floor. Sub Zero saw benches and stained glass windows point towards a large altar which had a mural over it. The painting had an inscription arching over the top, reading: _Mortalium: Dii homínibus. _The picture was of the first Mortals team - which included the original Sub Zero - painted as they were said to have appeared during World War II.

"Kind of a mix of cultural ideas here, don't you think?" Sub Zero exclaimed. Smoke ignored him and they both kept moving towards the altar. A towering man stood with his arms held out to them both, he wore a long red robe with black seams and gold inscriptions across his body and a hat that seemed to resemble Arabian kings' head wear - sans the slotted mask that covered his nose and mouth.

"Welcome, Master Sub Zero the Second," the man greeted, bowing towards the hastily clothed soldier.

"Er...thank you, um, sir?"

"No, no, thank you for joining us here."

"I didn't exactly have a choice..." Sub Zero muttered under his breath.

The Grandmaster put his arm around Sub Zero and led him closer to the painting before whispering in his ear, "Press the button under the mural."

"Button?"

The Grandmaster waved a finger towards the small, camouflaged panel where the button was situated. Sub Zero hesitated and glanced at Smoke who stood unmoving. Walking over, the warrior pressed the panel, hearing a satisfying click as he pushed it. The mural seemingly levitated as it was lifted by similar mechanics used for the elevator and behind it lay a crudely chiselled six foot hole in the wall. It wasn't the hole that caught Sub Zero's eye though, it was what was lay encased in glass within it.

"What...?!"

Through the glass lay the hooded, masked skull and half a spine of the first Sub Zero; Brian.

"B-B-Bi-Han?!" Sub Zero said, trembling at the sight of his brother's bones.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: I feel myself becoming a walking disappointment - I had finished the majority of this chapter mere days after the last and was on course to post it before life got in the way. Alas, this is here now and hopefully it makes up for lost time. This is the real home stretch now, at least five more chapters and possibly an epilogue. Thank you as always for reviewsfavourites/follows!**_

_**Obelisk of Light: Tremor's name wasn't meant to be linked to Assassin's Creed, but I like where your mind is! The Johnny Cage name was a slip up by me, I forgot to look up his actual name...Stryker is a real piece of work and I'm always happy to see people react to him with contempt.**_

_**Mr. Havik: Raiden is more mysterious than most and there are a lot of mysterious folks in this story! The tribute is unintentional I'm afraid. In this story, Johnny's surname is Hemsworth, yes. I forgot to mention that Frost is half Chinese/Japanese, the two Sub Zeroes aunt is their father's sister. I adore your theories, you keep astounding me with what you come up with, most of it better than what I set out to do! Thank you as always!**_


	26. Ammo

**Ammo**

_Miami, August 14th, 1987. 23:00 Hours_

Loud thuds on the doors and windows of Bahama Benny's succeeded in creating more pressure against Scorpion and Reptile's psyches. The two veterans grabbed what weapons and ammo they could from the cellar behind the bar and ran back up the poorly lit stairway to see their venture in flames.

"C'mon! There's no time to waste!" Scorpion yelled at Reptile, the latter Mortal steadily piling clothes into his suitcase.

"I need them!"

"Forget it, it's too late!"

The wooden supports below the ceiling cracked as fire licked the walls and the entirety of the upper floor.

"Bu-"

"No 'buts'," Scorpion interrupted. "We have to go!"

Heavy gunfire homed in on the duo as they sprinted through the bar, Scorpion briefly disappeared and flickered before his comrade, the Yellow Yank was unable to teleport them away.

"Shit!"

"It doesn't matter, through here!" Reptile booted the barricaded entranceway, flinging the obstacles out of their path. One of their aggressors was now lying on the sand below, covered in blood. "Who are these guys?" Reptile asked, panicking.

"How should I kn-" Scorpion started, before being cut off by the rings of ricocheting rifle rounds. He pulled out his pistol and crouched, moving around the side of the bar with haste. He peeped around the corner, only to be met with more gunfire and the blaze of muzzle flashes. Flinching, he bolted back to the entrance where Reptile was unfolding the stock of a SPAS-12 shotgun.

"Go around the side and wait for signal, okay?"

"What's the sig-?" Reptile asked belatedly as he watched a pistol wielding Scorpion go back through the now engulfed bar and dart to the rear, shooting and drop-kicking through a window on to a group of attackers. The heavily armed men fell and groaned in pain until Scorpion shot each of them in them in quick succession. Reptile took that as his cue and navigated around the corner to find the dead men's colleagues looking confused and unprofessional. Reptile made light work of them as he casually slotted this particular group with a few flechette loaded shells.

"Vietnam was useful for some things," the lizard man mused as a fireball shaped man joined him. Scorpion patted out the flames and stood in his now charred clothes. "So, who do you think these guys were?" Reptile wondered.

"I have no idea, but whoever they were, they came fully loaded with gear," Scorpion exclaimed, dropping a rifle he had briefly picked up.

"Who decides to start a war in the middle of Miami?"

"That my friends, would be your former employer, Kurtis Stryker," explained a voice from out of nowhere. The Mortals turned and aimed their weapons at the shadow who stepped out from the bushes. "Good evening, gentlemen."

"Raiden?!" The pair questioned simultaneously.

"Looks like I was a bit late to the party here," said the Briton, lighting up a cigarette casually.

Scorpion paced toward him, Reptile followed in vain and could only watch as his ally got in the face of the self proclaimed 'thunder god.' "Did you not feel the need to help us?"

"You had it covered," Raiden replied nonchalantly, taking another drag of the cigarette and twitching his upper lip.

"We barely made it out of there!"

"That's a lie and you know it."

Scorpion didn't want to agree, but he knew the man was right. "Okay. Fair enough...we managed."

Raiden moved towards the group of soldiers Reptile had dispatched, "See the flag here, on the arm?"

"Yeah?" said Reptile.

"That is Stryker's nation. His flag."

Scorpion ducked to take a better look, "Why would he put himself at risk like that? Acknowledging it's his country that did attacked here?"

"Don't you see? He knew you would kill these men, he simply wanted to send a message."

"I've not seen or heard from him since I was reunited with that mess over there." Scorpion pointed at Reptile, the scaly soldier rolled his slitted eyes.

"And yet he knows you still live, why? Because he believed in you more than any of his other creations, even more than Rain."

"That's horse shit, how did he find us? We've been off the radar for a long time."

Raiden paced on the sound and inhaled the stiff sea air, "He has a team of scientists from Nevada, countless spies and defectors that are loyal to him. Don't you see? He's been planning something!"

"Planning what though?" Reptile began. "We've done nothing to even provoke him. Sure, we want him dead, I think even Smoke would want that still."

"Look, we either think that, A, he wants you both dead and out of his way, or, B, he wants you to join him."

"Like hell are we joining that psychopath. He massacred hundreds of his own people including the creator of this damn serum - or should I say - poison, just to keep himself safe from harm. To keep himself from being ripped apart bit by toxic bit by Elijah himself here."

"Guilty," Reptile admitted.

"So you can count us out of that plan. By the way...it seems pretty damn suspicious that you would appear right now, in the nick of time..."

Raiden laughed, "You, believe I...? Oh no dear boy. If it was me that had set this assault upon you, you wouldn't be here talking to me."

The veterans glanced at one another sand Scorpion turned towards the ocean and asked, "Then how did you find us?"

"Ah, of course. Well, it was quite simple really - Sub Zero's friend is quite adept at computing and managed to track you down through government files and 'hacked' his way into databases until he found a match. Completely over my head but he did wonder why you used your names and not aliases to run this bar."

"We didn't think we'd need it, I thought they would have struck us from the records. MIA. KIA. Dissolution. One or the other."

"I see, how...careless, I should say."

Scorpion scrunched his hands in frustration, "We have been through hell and back for the sake of this goddamned planet and we get nothing in return, so don't you dare say we didn't think of everything."

Raiden raised his palms, "Relax, I know better than most the sacrifices you've made. Be they personal..." Scorpion lowered his head. "...or physical." Reptile rubbed his arms and brushed along the scales. "I have been there every step of the way. I have fought my own demons and conquered them the best I can."

"Wait...You said, 'we' before. Who's we? The British government?" Reptile inquired.

"No, Shao Khan."

"Khan?!" Spluttered Scorpion.

"Yes. Along with Smoke and Sub Zero."

"How on Earth did you manage that?"

"I've got connections. Now then, if you no longer have any belongings to pick up, we'll be going, shall we?" Raiden muttered something into his walkie talkie and a soon enough, a helicopter touched down on the sand, particles flew everywhere as the three of them boarded, Baraka and Kano greeted their fellow experiments as they made way to fly to Peru.

* * *

><p><em>Haven, August 15th, 1700 Hours.<em>

"Sir! Sir, I think I have finally made the breakthrough with the serum!" Shouted a senior scientist as he barrelled through his bosses office door.

"Don't you knock, boy?" Stryker asked coldly as he puffed on his cigar.

"I'm sorry sir, but I believe I've cracked Kabal's original design."

"How?" Stryker was in no mood for disappointments. He had tried various cocktails filled with the gene altering drug and nothing had come of it. It either ended in anger or in a pool of vomit and blood.

"I believe that the original theorem unlocked powers from within DNA specific candidates. A natural selection process if you would - try and test whoever."

"Go on."

The scientist excitedly handed over documents to an uncaring Stryker - he had little patience for busywork. "What I'm saying is, unlike Kabal's seemingly concrete proof that it was only specific to a certain amount of people, I have figured a way for it to unlock potential within almost everyone."

Stryker's ears and eyebrows perked in anticipation, the wrinkles on his face formed into a grin, "Everyone you say?"

"The people we tested it on all responded in some way, be it bad, or good. One hundred percent reacted to it - one woman burst into flames whilst another developed protective spines all over her skin. It still needs work as it seems a little raw."

"Excellent! Excellent work indeed! Does anybody else know about this?" Stryker asked.

"Only my team, sir."

"How many of them do you have?"

"There's four of them, excluding myself."

"Ten champagne glasses then." Stryker declared as he walked over to his liquor cabinet, pulling out a small unopened box.

"Like I said though, respectfully, sir, the product is still raw. It doesn't have a one hundred percent successful conversion rate, just a reaction rate."

"But like you said, they all changed, no?"

"That's true."

"Listen, bring me your finest vial out of the batch, I want to toast it and see it for myself."

The scientist felt proud of his accomplishment, "Thank you, sir."

"No, thank you. Pardon my ignorance...what is your name, son?"

"Darrius. Darrius Quaid, sir."

Stryker stood once again and put his arm around the scientist, "Well, Darrius...you've made me a very happy man. Go and gather your team and be back here in about ten minutes, okay?"

Dr. Quaid nodded and left the room, leaving Stryker alone. Was it finally ready? Was it finally what he had asked for? The general was ageing fast yet his body was still in top condition. He had always wondered if the serum provided immortality regardless of compatibility. Of course, Stryker had killed any test subjects that failed to gain anything from it to know for sure.

The general leaned towards the microphone on his desk and made an announcement, "Could the Grims come to my office immediately. I'll say again - Grims. My office. Now."

He waited two minutes before popping open the bottle of expensive champagne, pouring it into the nine glasses as each member of the Grims stepped through his door: Chameleon, Tremor, Rain then Frost entered at different times, each of them working hard on training the various soldiers in different techniques. Chameleon taught espionage, Tremor trained them in weaponry, Rain lectured (at length) the value of communication whereas Frost was given the task of instructing the soldiers about how to take down a powered individual. Stryker spoke with them as the scientists gathered pace and entered the room, the four of them sitting whilst the Grims handed them a glass before standing out of the way.

"You five, brilliant minded geniuses have possibly given me the greatest gift this blossoming, young nation could have asked for - strength. More useful than the countless weapons, tanks, planes and men and women at our disposal, more threatening than Tremor crushing your car or Rain talking to your wife..." The scientists laughed as Stryker continued. "No, no. You have given me hope that we can take forward our ideals and put them into practice. We can finally compete with the so called 'super powers' and stamp our own mark upon this great earth. No longer will the world fear sending their loved ones to war when we are there to fight it for them. The world's first, foremost and only Private Military Nation is ready to get to work." Stryker cleared his throat and then swallowed the booze in one gulp. "I must thank you for your cooperation. Your contracts have been terminated."

The scientists argued amongst themselves, flabbergasted by what they had just been told. Stryker nodded at the Grims and they moved behind the seated workers. Frost froze her target's head and kicked it clean off. Rain pulled his victim's head back by the hair and drowned her, filling her body with water until it became bloated. Chameleon transformed into the scientist before him and stared him straight in the eye. The scientist whimpered and beads of sweat trickled down his face.

"You always knew that your wife didn't love you." The sweating academic heard his own voice and saw his own lips move before he felt the life choked out of him. Tremor simply rubbed his hands and clapped them together, the now headless body before him evidence of his immense strength. The only person remaining was Darrius Quaid, who trembled and sobbed to himself. Stryker walked over to him.

"Give me the vial."

Darrius simply complied and handed over the serum, what he had left of his soul had now left him.

"Open your mouth."

"S-sir?"

"Open. Your. Fucking. Mouth."

Darrius scanned the room, he desperately searched for a way out before he felt Chameleon grasp his head and force his mouth open. Stryker hung over him, a tiny drop threatened to slip out and fall. Darrius kicked his legs out in defiance, only to have Tremor break them.

"Show some respect," threatened the big man.

"Thank you, Tremor. Now...I'm guessing the rest of this formula is in your safe, correct?"

Darrius Quaid forced out the word, 'Yes' just under fifteen times before the general poured the tube down the scientist's throat. Chameleon let him go and the five of them watched as Quaid fell to the floor in agony - not from the serum, but from his crippled legs. The liquid coursed through the man's veins, he had never felt a sensation such as this.

"N-n-n-no! NO!" He screamed, anxious that the pain leave.

"I liked you, Darrius, I really did. The problem is - I can't have anybody fucking up my plans. For all I know, you've remembered all of this with your big brain of yours and you'd maybe keep it to yourself, sure, but I don't believe you or any man with no ambition would do that. You'd sell it to the highest bidder or the government that wanted it the most and they would take everything from me. People have told me that I am the Devil. Those people are wrong. I am not the Devil, I am not even God. I am above both of them. World War III is just the beginning. I'm thinking we should have us a big change around here, yes indeed! Imagine a world where there is peace because we have control over politics, religion and the wealth. It will be a better world for all."

"Y-yo-you're insane!" Darrius managed to declare. "I thought you-you just wanted m-money?!"

"Wealth is only part of it. Does God care for money? No he does not. So, please, Doctor Quaid. Call me God."

Darrius felt his legs heal rapidly with the effects of the serum now taking its toll. The scientist began to laugh as Stryker smirked, simply watching the senior staff member stand before him.

"I'll kill you now, Stryker..." Darrius claimed, feeling the flow of newly found aptitude grow.

"That's cute," replied Stryker, who nodded to Tremor. The towering man grabbed Quaid's head and ripped it from his body in addition to his spinal cord.

"Well then...let's get to work again." Stryker let the Grims leave as he went to the late Quaid's office to retrieve some samples.

* * *

><p><em>Lin Kuei Sanctuary, Peru, August 16th, 0100 Hours<em>

Helicopter blades whirred to a halt as the vehicle touched down. Raiden stepped out on to the grassy clearing, the Lin Kuei Sanctuary lay embedded in the rock formation before him. Scorpion and Reptile followed, along with Baraka and Kano.

"Pretty lovely place, wouldn't you say, gents?" Raiden said rhetorically.

"So...this is where Sub Zero and Smoke have decided to live?" Scorpion asked.

"Decided is a bit of an obsolete term here, they had to do this," replied the colonel.

"They've had three years extra to train. Or, so they think," Scorpion stated proudly.

Raiden walked on, "Don't get too cocky, they have worked very hard. Besides, there isn't really a 'Mortals' team any more, is there?"

"As long as I'm breathing, there is," Scorpion told the lightning bearer. Reptile smiled to himself.

"That's some good news then."

The five of them entered the sanctuary and were greeted by the Grandmaster, who paid a lot of attention to Reptile and Scorpion. They both stared at the mural of themselves for what felt like forever. The Grandmaster gave them the same instruction he had given Sub Zero just over three years prior - press the panel and reveal a part of themselves they had lost. Scorpion pressed on the wooden button and stepped back, the frame was dragged upwards and the two Mortals identified the remains of Bi-Han. Reptile took a few steps backward as Scorpion froze on the spot. The pair just kept looking and searching every inch of it. The World War II mask and hood, the spine and skull. It sat in a hole in the wall in Peru. It was a timeless reminder of the sacrifices made and of the anger and guilt Scorpion felt before and after the discovery of his wife and daughter's death and the truth of Rain's involvement.

"S-Scorpion?" Reptile asked in concern, stuttering. The leader of the Mortals stopped still and continued to stare. The head of the man he had killed was before his very eyes and he couldn't believe it. "Scorpion, say something!" Reptile cried again.

"I...I-I...don't..."

The Grandmaster put his hand on Reptile's shoulder and led him towards the fiery one. He stood them together and moved before them. "Master Scorpion...we know of your misjudgement. The entire following and cause here knows of your mistake and we pay for your sins alongside you."

Scorpion felt the sorrow replaced by rage. "You...you pay for my sins?! You know NOTHING about me."

"I do not mean to offend you, sir. I am simply telling you of our knowledge."

"Raiden may have given me some of the details but he didn't tell me you have the spine of my ally, did you?" He pointed towards Raiden.

"You had to see it for yourself, Scorpion. I couldn't see it being true myself until they showed me."

The Grandmaster gestured towards the painting, "We - I - was given this by my father. He served alongside you during the Second World War. You knew nothing of him but he knew a great deal about you. After witnessing you in combat for the first time, he would steal records and try and gather information about yourself and the Mortals."

"Your father was clearly a stalker then, wasn't he? What right did he have to take this?!"

"What you say is true, my father was a...peculiar man to say the least. Yet the stories he told me as a young boy astounded me. When he passed away, he had left me something; an heirloom of sorts - something astonishing. He left this skull and spine and heaps of papers and photographs to me. I studied and studied it in my spare time. I travelled the world and discovered this ruin. I believed in the story of the Mortals. I was a photographer during Vietnam. I was one town away from you during your entire campaign there."

"Your life story is irrelevant."

"I have no qualms with you, my master, you are the right and I am the guided."

"I'm no god."

"You are gods amongst men. Masters Scorpion and Reptile. Two of the greatest warriors who have ever lived."

"What about those guys?" Reptile said, pointing to Raiden, Kano and Baraka.

"They are your acolytes. The ones that serve you and are to be served. They guided you along the way."

"This is ridiculous..." Scorpion announced.

"Is it? You are the by-products of the universe! Sent to save us all from annihilation!"

"We're by-products of science. We were regular men who were changed."

The Grandmaster raised his arms, "You were regular men who were ascended to the thrones of the gods! Will you not help us? Are we any more ridiculous than Stryker and his band of malcontent thugs?"

"You're starting to creep up there," Scorpion told the almost regally dressed man.

"All we ask is that you give us a chance. We have beds, food, weaponry, places to meditate and places to train. We have soldiers and warriors that believe in this cause and they believe in you. Will you aid us in defeating the greatest threat to the world since Ermac, The Soulless?"

Scorpion glanced over at Reptile and said, "Okay. Seeing as you put it so...eloquently."

"Blessed are we!" The Grandmaster yelled out, the echo of the church sounded it out around the sanctuary, the sound of trainees cheering rang throughout the ruin as the dull thuds of sparring resumed. "That being said...the issue surrounding Sub Zero the First has, and still is, to be resolved."

The leading Mortal snapped his head to the Grandmaster once more, "I think it is best that he be kept in the dark."

The Grandmaster rested a hand on one of the long, pine benches that the followers congregated on. "It will resolve more than just your conscience. It will also put him at ease about his brother."

"Reptile already told me some of the details, 'Kevin' was having an affair with his dead brother's wife whilst he was getting shot at on the front lines. I made a mistake. An awful mistake and I live with that every single day," Scorpion said, admitting his failures.

"And we will always forgive you," the Grandmaster told the troubled soldier sincerely.

"Where is he?" Scorpion asked after half a minutes silence.

Without saying a word, the Grandmaster led Scorpion into the primitive elevator and left Reptile to his own devices. The Lin Kuei members stood at arms and bowed to him. The lizard man felt an urge to wave them away and proceeded with it. He was now alone with the remains of the first Sub Zero. Reptile walked closer to the carved hole in the rock and knelt down, his head heavy, he closed his eyes and began whispering to himself.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, old friend. I would have stopped Scorp- Henry, from killing you. He didn't mean it, not any more at least. At the time he'd have done anything to get revenge for his wife's death. Anything. I remember when you used to say, 'Oh I bet Stryker's up to something!' You'd joke about it but it was true. Too true. He repents every day, he wishes he could bring you back. If you're up there, you'll know the truth. It's just a shame you're not here alongside us now, we would have had this whole thing wrapped up by now. Your brother's a good guy, despite the adultery thing, but you know that. War changes people and it usually for the worst. I have no idea what is going to happen when we go to take on Stryker and his batch of freaks...oh man, let me tell you, you would HATE Rain! He's such an ass kisser it's unbelievable. But anyway, if I live or die, I'll make sure to come here before that happens and I'll have a conversation with you again. See you soon, friend." Reptile felt tears roll down his face, he wasn't even sure that he could cry any more, yet it felt cathartic - as if a weight had been lifted. He grinned and bared his sharp fangs to nobody but himself.

"Reptile."

Elijah Cash stood up and turned towards the familiar voice, "Smoke."

"I'm sor-"

"You left me with them, Tomas. You left me to be experimented on," Reptile interrupted.

"I-I had to do it. For Deborah. For my family."

Reptile turned and walked towards his squad mate, "Didn't you think I'd need your help? Didn't you think that...that I'd maybe need a helping hand?"

Smoke ran his hands through his gunmetal hair, "Of course. Of course I thought about coming back and saving you from them. I've felt guilty for far too long now."

"It doesn't matter now..." Reptile lied.

"It does. I'm just happy you're safe."

Reptile placed a hand to his pistol holster and sat it down on one of the benches. "How did you find us? How did you know we were still alive?"

"We didn't," Smoke confessed.

"Would you have left us to rot?"

Smoke sat down, "No. I would never let that happen."

"It sure felt like that...Besides, Raiden said he had a computing wizard find us."

Smoke's eyes lit up, "That would be Sub Zero's friend, Kenshi."

"Can he fight?"

Smoke laughed, "I don't think so. He's more into fighting on computer games."

"Kids these days, huh?" They both laughed and shook hands, Reptile had felt hurt along the years by Smoke's actions but he knew he couldn't stay angry. What was done, was done.

Scorpion exited the lift and was introduced to the Grandmaster's son. He introduced himself as 'Sektor'. "Welcome, sir. Master Sub Zero's quarters are this way." The pair walked up two flights of stairs, the moonlight shone brightly down the vast caverns and illuminated the entire sanctuary. "Here we are, sir. I look forward to seeing you again." Scorpion nodded and opened the door to see a meditating Sub Zero.

"Kuai Liang."

Sub Zero stood and walked over to his team leader, "Harry." Scorpion had almost forgotten his real name.

"How has your training been?" Scorpion asked, trying to delay the inevitable.

"I've been feeling fresher and brighter every day. I wake up at four in the morning and go to bed by about nine. An exception has been made tonight though."

"What about home? Where were you living?"

"L.A. I worked on a movie lot as a stuntman. I met some good people up there, Scorpion. A couple of them have moved here to help us."

"Humans? They'll be killed instantly."

Sub Zero kissed his teeth, "They're capable. Martial arts experts and they've been training with weapons for a while now. I was going to bring down my fiancée but I thought it might be a bit too much to handle."

"What? The training?"

"No," Sub Zero laughed, "The fact that I can kill people with ice daggers."

Scorpion explored the room, it was bare, bamboo screens and traditional Japanese art adorned it. On the walls were documents and attack plans drawn up by Kuai Liang himself. Scorpion felt a growing admiration for the man, he had never seen him so focused.

"Tell me, what did you know about your brother's death?" Scorpion asked with a lump in his throat, Sub Zero felt a pang of guilt.

"I...heard he was murdered by that Ermac guy. That was all I was told."

"Look..." began Scorpion, "You have not been told the truth. There were many...complications during that time. Ermac didn't kill your brother."

"Then who did?" Sub Zero begged, his senses seemed to become heightened.

"I did."

Sub Zero stood, his jaw fell and questions flew through his mind, "You...you can't have...? You...he was your friend!"

"Stryker had convinced me that Bi-Han murdered my wife and daughter."

"Don't say that name!"

"I'm telling you the truth."

"Oh! Oh well I feel much better now, thank you!" Sub Zero said with scorn.

"I got angry, I was infuriated and...I attacked him. It got out of hand."

"Out of hand? Out of hand?! You murdered my brother for something he didn't even do!" Sub Zero felt anger not unlike Scorpion had felt that night over forty years ago.

"I was young and stupid. I have done nothing but pay for my sins since it happened. I was so consumed with hatred that I carried it everywhere with me. It wasn't until we discovered Rain had done it on Stryker's orders..."

"So, everyone apart from me knew about this? Typical bullshit as usual!"

"I needed to tell you. I've been keeping it to myself for too long now..." Scorpion stood and waited for a reaction. Anything to tell him that this wasn't a dream. It came though - a thundering left hook from Sub Zero staggered the leader back on his feet. The blows kept coming and Scorpion did nothing to stop his charging. Sub Zero picked up the now bleeding Scorpion and threw him. A super powered body tore through paper doors and the wall to the outside. A huge drop to where the helicopter sat lay in wait below. Sub Zero waited for Scorpion to hit the ground before leaping down. The veteran leader lay flat and unmoving but he was very much alive. An assembly of people, including Smoke, Reptile and Shao Khan's group, gathered and watched as Sub Zero pummelled Scorpion. The yellow clad Mortal felt his mask shatter and fall off his hooded head.

"Are we just going to let him kick his teeth in?" Raiden asked. Smoke and Reptile looked at him with the former saying, "This is good for him. Scorpion knows it too."

Sub Zero felt himself panting and he fell to his knees. He watched as Scorpion's face readjusted bone and skin, regenerating at a high rate. The ice man kept his eyes to the grass and then heard Scorpion saying, "Thank you..." Sub Zero pulled up his mentor and they both walked back to the group which had gathered. The Grandmaster raised his arms and explained the Lin Kuei's next move.

"We shall get our best disciples on the case of Stryker's army. We shall find which war zone they plan to hit and we shall intercept them to the best of our ability. For the Mortals!"

"For the Mortals!" Chanted the group of people.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: A much longer chapter with a much faster update this time! Thank you all for reading. <strong>_

_**Mr. Havik: The story has altered somewhat from what I originally planned but I will address any questions you, or anybody else has about anything included here. About your Raiden theory - are you sure you're not Hideo Kojima? I like that comparison! Both of them are deadly mercs but they use humour to keep them grounded - keep them human almost. Thank you, I think it's rather difficult to just place a group or cult into an AU story without it feeling forced, so I am more than happy that you like how I've incorporated it. Without giving too much away, there will be a battlefield that sets the scene towards the end. Who knows? Maybe I'll have Stryker destroy the universe? ;)**_

_**Obelisk of Light: I'm glad that you believe this story still has legs to stand on, I'm a bad one for maybe overdoing a concept so much that it just collapses in on itself. Your hatred of Stryker is definitely justified, I just hope he doesn't become a caricature of himself! The trademark powers are will crop up into the story soon, mark my words.**_


	27. Sub Zero

**Sub Zero**

_October 7th 1992, The Gulf_

_"Can you believe it's been this long since I heard from you, Kevin? I've been so worried." _Skarlet felt shivers down her spine as she heard Sub Zero's heavy exhales down the phone. The call was costing her more money than she had access to, but it didn't matter to her any more; all she wanted was to hear his voice and tell him that she loved him. What she didn't know was that a woman was lying nude in next to him - Kitana.

"Yeah...it's been too long. Almost as if I'd forgotten about you. Heh." Sub Zero felt pangs of guilt but he hadn't cared whilst he had been hoisted by Kitana earlier that evening. "Look, I have to go," he said with little care, "Take care. I'll be back soon."

_"You too. I lov-"_

The phone went dead on the other side of the world and Skarlet began to sob uncontrollably.

Kitana rolled on to her side and held her head up, "Why stay with her when you are happier with me?"

"Shut up. You don't know anything about her." Sub Zero sat up and tossed his legs to the side of the bed. Kitana was in shock and sat up herself, folding her arms as if she felt a voyeur peeping through the cracks in the walls. The dusty shack sat in the middle of nowhere, a place within the Middle East which God had all but forgotten.

"Get out and get ready. There are mere hours left until we go to Haven. We shouldn't have done this."

Kitana stormed out of the bed and got changed into combats and a vest, her flowing black locks trickled down her back so effortlessly that Sub Zero could have mistaken her to be a shape shifting Rain. He held his head in his hands and scraped his heavy stubble, each bristle felt like tiny knives that cut into his palms. He spoke to the sky.

"Brother...I have no idea if you can hear me all the way over here, but I just want to let you know that I love you and I'm sorry for what I did with Karen. It was unforgivable and it always will be. Even though Scorpion killed you, I believe that he did it for the right reasons. That sounds strange to me but I think if I had been in his shoes with his power and strength - I would have done the same. If God is real, give him a one hundred dollar bill and a wink for me, yeah? I sure as hell feel as if I'm gonna die and if I do, I don't want to be stuck down in Hell with Stryker, that's for sure. If you'd known...I'm sure you would have stopped him without a second thought, even if that meant you'd be branded a traitor, you'd have done it for the right reasons. Jesus...what am I even doing talking to the roof like a goddamn lunatic? I always was a little loopy and by God didn't you know it. A couple of Chinese kids in America - that's all we were - then they want us to fight their wars for their people? It always was weird. Send the minorities. Scorpion - I'm sure he has Jap blood in him. Smoke's a Jew and Reptile...Reptile's a fuckin' lizard monster. Ha, for once we weren't the odd ones here. I know Smoke was your best friend and you were brothers in arms with Scorpion and Reptile like I'll never have but it makes me proud to be following in your footsteps - to be making a difference and at least trying to save the world one bastard at a time."

A shape emerged in front of the veteran, a shadow unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was Bi-Han. Sub Zero collapsed in fear and awe.

"B-b-b...!"

The shadow put a finger to its mouth in a shushing movement before disappearing into wisps. Sub Zero screamed to the heavens in confusion and fell to the ground an emotional wreck. His sobbing drew the attention of Kitana who ran in and comforted him, Sub Zero's violent shaking frightened her as she whispered in his ear and kissed the side of his face.

* * *

><p><em>The Sanctuary<em>

Johnny Cage sparred with Liu Kang, the pair of them had trained under the watchful eye of Raiden, the duo frequently outdoing each other. A dose of the serum had been obtained by the Sanctuary itself, a rogue case stolen by a rogue faction in Stryker's eyes. Sektor and Cyrax had gone in together, avoiding the collapsing bunkers and ceilings of the Nevada compound. Reptile's destruction of the base had left Stryker in no hurry to return and Kabal's betrayal had all but convinced the paranoid general that he had booby trapped the building with mines, automated weaponry and even crude spears. It was all an untruth created by the warped mind of the wannabe dictator, yet it was effective at keeping him away from gaining more power. A purer serum, the scientists on Haven couldn't quite create the same genetic change in people as Kabal could. The 'magik' behind it - as the doctors had coined on numerous reports - was too advanced for them to unlock, despite it being a formula created over fifty years prior and with less resources.

"C-can we have an injection of that stuff now...?" Cage begged Raiden.

Raiden walked over to the former actor and elbowed him to the ground. "Not whilst you're still a little boy in a man's body. It is for emergencies only. Once we are on the island, we shall decide what to do with it then - everybody will have their own individual vial to inject if the time requires it. In case of said emergency, you are free to do with it what you please."

Liu Kang bowed to Raiden who awkwardly repeated the gesture. "Thank you sir," said the other former actor humbly. Cage mouthed the same words mockingly.

* * *

><p><em>International Waters - 15 miles from Haven, October 8th 1992.<em>

Shao Kahn stood at the front of the cargo plane in a white shirt and black trousers. He looked so out of place that even the antique mask he had put on couldn't cover his misgivings. The mask covered the top of his head down past his nose, it was shaped like a skull. Many thought it was a real skull. They were right, but they didn't know it was actually his father's.

"Listen up boys and girls. The DZ is two minutes away, have your weapons prepped, your powers, (if you have them), charged up and your emergency supplies ready. I've got mine." The large man pointed to his shirt pocket which contained a syringe and a vial of the serum. Sub Zero sat silently. The Mortals were all in different planes to avoid a massacre had they been struck down prematurely. They also had only been given hours to get used to their new attire - they all wore dark underclothes and balaclavas with protection on top; Sub Zero had a custom mask with an oxygen inhibitor. Plating covered his upper arms and hands with blue cloth draped down the middle of his body.

The Mortals had questioned why they were being differentiated again only for the Grandmaster to tell them that it was to protect the other soldiers. He believed that Stryker would focus on them and become obsessed with killing them - and what better way than to give them similar designs to what the original Mortals wore?

"Thirty seconds!" Kahn cried from the front of the ship. "Move out men! Sub Zero, you hang back for them." Sub Zero nodded and eventually jumped from the plane. He could see the other planes dropping the resistance off as if they were food crates. He saw billowing pillars of smoke careening through the air - huge shells were fired to counteract the swiftly advancing Smoke who returned fire of his own. Black clouds blinded the gunners, stopping the shooting briefly.

Sub Zero was not a Mortal in that half a minute - he was immortal.

_**Author's Note: It's been a long time since I updated, especially so close to the end but I was preparing to go back to university. Apologies. The next three (shorter) chapters cover Smoke, Reptile and Scorpion's experiences just before the battle and their subsequent involvement in the drop off before the showdown commences. If there are any questions you feel I have not addressed or I've dropped or forgotten about, please let me know via direct message or within a review. I want to make everybody feel as if they have get closure and a satisfying end. Thanks again.**_

_**Obelisk of Light: I'm trying to get the powers in for the last battle, hopefully they will be portrayed convincingly enough for you. This story may be about the four ninjas but it's definitely the people around them that give them a lot of help. Thanks for the review as always.**_

_**Mr. Havik: The Lin Kuei are Raiden's secret contact, yes. Though I haven't written it, I like to think of this version of Raiden to be very James Bond, very cunning and sly. The Grandmaster was envisioned as just a man inspired by his father's obsession with the Mortals. His father saw them and fought alongside them very briefly 'off screen' if you will. The Grandmaster in turn is almost a fanboy of them having heard his father's tales and following of the group. Reptile is still my favourite character to write for, even if he doesn't appear in this chapter. Yes, I agree. I could have pulled off the revelation to Sub Zero better than I should have, considering it has hung over the story for a long time. I won't justify it but thank you as always.**_


	28. Smoke

**Smoke**

_Manhattan Private Hospice, October 3rd 1992_

"Mr Vrbada, you can go in and see her now," stated the plain looking doctor whom Smoke had spoken to at least fifteen times on his wife's condition. The white hair he wore so well was dishevelled as he nodded towards the physician in thanks. Deborah lay silent in her bed, she was still but she was alive. Smoke took baby steps over to her, afraid of startling her. He placed a bunch of flowers on her bedside table and sat next to her for what seemed like minutes - in reality, three hours had passed and he knew that his time with her was coming closer and closer to an end. He wanted every last second count, every moment to mean another memory for him to keep as he grew older whilst bearing the face of a man more than half his age. Tomas had a great memory; all four of the Mortals did in fact - another credit to the gene altering formula but another blot to it also. Smoke could recall the faces of the people he had killed; a basic head shape would grow to then outline their hair styles, ethnicities and any distinct markings or uniqueness. He regretted joining the military because the serum he had been given left his mind free to remember, but he didn't regret saving those he could from the atrocities others committed. Smoke had long before begun to question the so-called 'freedom' democratic countries provided by war: The collateral damage of Vietnam, the cold blooded espionage of the Cold War, the countless assassinations carried out by his fellow 'patriots' all for the west. He had one last chance to help make the world a better place again, fifty years after he had first shed the blood of another.

"Mr Vrbada, visiting hours are almost over. You're more than welcome to come back tomorrow," the plain looking doctor said, returning to the room.

Smoke silently did as he was asked, stroking his ill wife's hand as he left the hospice. Not many people seemed to visit but plenty seemed to leave. As Tomas Vrbada headed to his car, his atoms broke into the ever familiar wisps that looked like his name bearer - Smoke appeared once more in his wife's room and sat next to her in the darkness as she slept. Deborah Vrbada passed away in her sleep, aged sixty four. Her husband was never seen in New York City again.

* * *

><p><em>International Waters, 2 miles over Haven, October 8th 1992<em>

Smoke billowed through the air, SAM rockets firing in droves towards the planes that darkened the sunrise. He retaliated by throwing super heated bombs of his own creation towards the island, the ensuing explosions of them not only harming, but providing cover for his brothers. His long white hair flapped about as he let himself free fall towards the sand before the concrete creations of General Stryker, his mercenaries fired their assault rifles upwards in a desperate attempt to kill their former heroes. A radio transmission sounded in Smoke's ears, it was Sub Zero.

"Tomas! We're nearly at the beach! Rifles ready!"

Smoke obeyed and took his own assault rifle off his back, firing in bursts as fire rose from the military base, shrapnel red hot on his face as bullets continued to hit or get near him. And then - he landed. Sand exploded upwards and mixed with the black pillars he had created like a modern retelling of D-Day. Smoke was crouched and his legs ached as he stood but he had to keep moving - he had to keep firing upon the enemy or it would mean World War III. A group of Stryker's men gathered and fired on him at the same time, their munitions either missing or misfired due to the terrifyingly real nature of the battle. The Mortal transformed into his element, passing through each soldier and boiling them from the inside, steam poured from their mouths and eyes before the blood followed suit. The highly trained, infantry of Stryker's was merely being used as a distraction for the real threat - The Grim Reapers and their own personal army of monsters. Smoke held off the ground troops easily, using his rifle to suppress many of them before steaming them. It was easy but it was exhausting; it had been a long time since he had used his powers for this length of time. That's when Smoke saw his first challenge leap from a building half a mile away - a humanoid figure covered head to toe in flames, with what seemed to be molten rock plating for protection. It roared at him and the noise was near-deafening, Smoke could feel the heat of the creature through the ten feet that stood between them.

"Wha-" Smoke half asked himself as a searing fist battered his temple.

Scorpion was still in the skies above, sunlight glared through the tiny windows of the plane, twin red lights started to flash, beads of sweat on his brow were surrounded by the blackness of his balaclava. He looked up towards the pilot and yelled, "Is Reptile on his way?" The pilot held his left hand upward to indicate 'yes'. Scorpion felt his eyes cloud over, the rage he felt was real and it burned inside him.

The oversized flaming man tossed Smoke across the barracks to the airfield, the Czech could not catch a second to breathe as more punches, kicks and throws would take him off balance - this was still the case as he felt the sticky tarmac scrape his pale skin. The beast leapt into the air, its fist clenched before an earth shattering crack came from the ground Smoke was lying on. Steaming through the figure at impact, Smoke managed to escape its glare for more than a second, the rock plating pinged off its back as he passed through it. A smoke bomb clouded the humanoids vision once again, allowing Smoke to build up pressure in his hands, the familiar wisps forming around him. Quick shots ripped from his palms as he tried to quell his opponent. The result? Nothing. The haze cleared and another fist could be felt by ground troops either side. Stryker watched on the hidden cameras around Haven.

"I want to tear the cancerous bastard limb from limb," Tremor threatened. Rain could only look on and respond to each of Smoke's movements, he tried to get a feel for the Mortal as best he could.

"I think I could kill him easily." Rain pondered.

"How?" Stryker mumbled.

"I'll wait until he evaporates and flood him immediately. Surely he wouldn't be able to reform his particles underwater? Ask the scientists, I just want to get to Scorpion. Fuck the lizard and the false snowman, I need to fight him - one on one." Rain was more excitable than he had been in months.

"It will be me that kills him, Rain. You just get to soften him up. They have been a thorn in my side longer than you have been a soldier. From World War II to here..."

Rain protested immediately, "Are you kidding me? You only had this plan when you read it in a comic or something. 'Ooh, super soldiers taking over the world! My own army!' Give me a fucking break."

Stryker did not confront his apprentice but grinned to himself. He knew Rain's anger could be controlled for his own purposes.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: This will be finished by the end of the month. Hold me to it by messaging me if you're not getting what you deserve. <strong>_

_**KoldCyromancer: Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. This will be finished.**_

_**Mr. Havik: It doesn't offend me at all, if anything, it came across as I wanted it to! The second Sub Zero is basically a teenager in a twenty something's body coupled with the experiences of a sixty year old war veteran. He has these faults as it heralds back to the affair with Bi-Han's wife all those years before. He was a coward with an attitude problem chasing women - he's flawed! As for Bi-Han appearing in the desert, I guess it can be interpreted as more of a representation of his guilt and remorse, to be honest, it was sort of thrown in there without me thinking. More challengers await! The serum is the catalyst for the entire story, the reason they are all in this. I love Shao Kahn and I wanted to see him as more of a neutral third party kind of guy - a mysterious 'is he or isn't he an enemy?' entity that the Mortals had to contend with. I would consider a spin-off for Raiden or just a full blown prequel/sequel of some kind, definitely. I really hope you're still out there, this has been a disgraceful wait just for the final chapters!**_


	29. Scorpion

**Scorpion**

_September 1942_

"Do you have to leave, Harry?"

Harry shuffled closer to his wife, her jet black hair fell into a bob usually but now it was strung across her face after they had made love. Harry grabbed and held her hand tightly, interlocking his fingers with hers as he used his free thumb to stroke her face.

"I don't want to," he whispered softly as he closed his eyes, "They asked me to get into a car with them, we drove a little while and then they put a bag over my head. They showed me things I didn't even believe could be done by magic, let alone science. Machines that move of their own free will, aeroplanes that can fly across the sky so quickly that it can break the speed of sound. I don't even know what that means!" Harry laughed to himself quietly as his wife stared into his eyes. He held her closer.

"I think you've finally done it." Harry's wife stated.

He was curious, "Done what?"

She smiled, "Got me pregnant."

Harry laughed again. "How could you possibly know that for sure? We've tried so many times before..."

She held his other hand under the sheets. "I can just feel it this time. I know it's going to happen. I just...I want you to be here when he or she finally comes along."

"I will be." They touched lips as he pulled her as close as he possibly could.

The couple lay in bed silently, each of them drifting in and out sleep in turns. It felt like forever decided to collapse into a single day. They made love again then decided they would head out for the evening, the mid west weather was kind to them this night.

Harry buttoned his shirt up before knotting his tie. "What show do you want to go see?" He shouted to the bathroom.

"I hear there's a carnival in town." She replied.

Harry smiled to himself. "Why would you want to go there?"

"I hear there's a tattoo stand. I might get one," she called back, laughing her perfect laugh.

Harry got his trousers from the drawer, "If you get a tattoo, I think even a European would turn his nose up at you!"

Her head appeared suddenly around the door, "Well, maybe I'll run away with a Negro Frenchman! I'm sure he wouldn't mind a little drawing on a girl."

"You're not a girl though, are you?" Harry sauntered over to her and held her head in both hands, "You're the most beautiful woman on this Earth." He kissed her forehead twice.

"You're still that charmer I met in New Jersey, aren't you?"

He shrugged, "Best vacation my family ever took. I still have the box of letters you sent me over the years. I think I put them in the attic somewhere..." She smiled at him.

"I bet you can't guess what tattoo I'd love to have. My geography teacher taught me about them and I've always been fascinated."

He arched an eyebrow, "Everest? A picture of me?"

She tapped him playfully, "You know what I mean. Well, I might get a tattoo of one of those. Or a love heart."

He kept gazing into her bright blue eyes, "You're not getting one! They're done by people who even sailors wouldn't go to!"

She went to a cabinet before turning excitedly, "Come on. Guess!"

"Erm...?"

"You're not very good at guessing, I know, but if you really loved me, you'd know!"

His mind was blank.

"Should I just tell you?" She asked him.

"Sure. Enlighten me." Harry walked towards her.

"A scorpion!"

* * *

><p><em>Haven, October 8th, 1992<em>

Hanzo 'Harry' Hasashi fell through the dawn skies, the artillery fire still shot past him as neared the ground. He saw the plane he had fallen out of crash slowly downwards in a flaming ball. They had missed him by half a minute. The sand cushioned his descent, Scorpion rolled as he landed. Pulling out his pistol, he shot and killed two soldiers on mounted machine guns before ripping another in two with his spear. His teleporting highly improved since its first ever use, he immediately travelled across the island to the palace-esque building he had been shown by Raiden. More of Stryker's men poured out from all angles, each firing pot shots in an attempt to maim, not to kill. Scorpion pulled out an old friend - his M1 Garand. The soldiers went down as they ran across the balconies of the structure: _One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. _It continued until the clip pinged from the top and he had to reload. Then -

_BANG._

The double doored entrance flipped off its hinges, a hulking blue creature stepped through the hole it had just made - A tiny cloth covered its modesty, the material looked to be old army fatigues, three bright yellow eyes glared at Scorpion, jagged claws jutted out of what used to be it's hands coupled with tiny spikes from the top of it's head. It roared and threw a huge metal ball from behind itself. It was a wrecking ball with the chain still attached. It missed Scorpion by several feet to which he laughed and threw his spear. The edge pierced the navy flesh but the creature uttered it's own guttural chuckle.

"Shit." Scorpion said, before firing the old rifle at his new opponent. The enemy lumbered slowly as it was peppered with bullets. "C'mon...die, die, die!" The clip pinged once again and Scorpion was grabbed, he was then smashed into the ground repeatedly. It kept going until it suddenly let Scorpion go. Raiden was electrocuting the beast, it's yellow eyes opening and closing in agony as it fell the concrete with charred flesh, dead.

"Get up!" Raiden yelled as he hoisted up the dazed Scorpion.

"You...I thought...you were..." Scorpion muttered.

"Yeah, every bastard thinks I'm dead. Now come on!"

The pair moved inwards to the greeting of more suppressing fire, and surprisingly, Shao Kahn obliterating soldiers with a sledgehammer. Giblets flew in all directions every time an enemy even dared get close. "Boys! So glad to see you!" He shouted as he caved a man's head in. The three fought off guards until they could figure out where they were meant to go.

"Any ideas?" Raiden finally called out after the trio were running out of resources.

"I have one," came a voice. It was Tremor.

Scorpion sprinted over to the Grim, he wanted blood.

"Scorpion!" Raiden called over as Shao Kahn reached into a small satchel. It was his share of the serum. "Are you sure?" Raiden asked sincerely.

"Damn sure. I'll hold this big fucker off for as long as I can - hopefully I can kill him."

Raiden stared at Kahn for a minute, "Good luck."

Scorpion continued to punch Tremor, the towering man returned each and every one before sending out an earth-shattering stomp that shook the chandeliers and the walls themselves violently. A tear in the ground split the room in half.

"Yankee Yellow Doodle!" He shouted mockingly. "This has been a long time coming! You refuse to join the man who will lead us to freedom! Why hide in obscurity when he can make you a legend?"

Tremor, Scorpion thought, actually seemed capable of linking sentences together. "He had my wife and daughter murdered. I think that's reason enough."

Tremor smirked under his mask, "You just don't understand, do you? They weren't like us! They were human! We are above the flaws of humanity."

Shao Kahn injected the needle deep into his arm and felt his body change near instantaneously - his body did not change physically, yet he felt ten times more powerful. Opportunely, a shard from a mirror was near and he witnessed his eyes change into red slits. He felt fantastic.

"Join us! We are as Stryker intended us to be! We are gods amongst men!"

Scorpion shook his head. "We are the worlds downfall. The UN has already declared their interest in your island. If we don't shut this operation down, what's left for you? An empty, irradiated mess of a planet, full of overpowered super-humans who will no doubt continue fighting each other until you eventually all kill each other."

Tremor crouched slightly and tightened his torso, "Face me then."

"Gladly." Shao Kahn said to him, in the midst of swinging the sledgehammer. Tremor smashed through the palace wall. Kahn breathed heavily and looked towards his two allies, "Like I said before, Hanzo. Go. Stryker will be down there."

Scorpion nodded and jumped down the divide below his feet. Raiden followed suit.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: Reptile's chapter, the finale and the epilogue to go.<strong>_

_**Obelisk of Light: Cage and Liu Kang will be involved for sure, whether it becomes Armageddon level...well, we shall see. Smoke has arguably had the most 'normal' life of the four, barring perhaps the first Sub Zero who only experienced a fraction of the battles they faced. I'm happy you enjoyed the flashback, I hope it helps build more of a picture in people's minds about my interpretation of the four. Thanks as always.**_


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